ISKCON Celebrates Ill-Timed Ratha Jatra

Bhubaneswar: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has stirred fresh controversy by holding ‘Festival of Bliss’ event in Houston, Texas, on November 9, which included a replica of Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa chariot. Though the procession excluded the traditional deities—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Sudarsan Chakra—the chariot’s resemblance to Nandighosa has sparked discontent among devotees in Odisha.

Responding to the incident, Odisha’s Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan stated that the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri would decide on an earlier warning issued to ISKCON regarding the observance of untimely Rath Yatra. He added, “The state government will support any decision taken by SJTA.”

Ahead of the November 9 event, ISKCON had cancelled its plans for an untimely Rath Yatra following backlash from Jagannath devotees in Odisha. Instead, the group opted for a ‘Sankirtan Yatra’ at the venue. In a press release, Yudhistir Govinda Prabhu, ISKCON’s national communications director, confirmed this after discussions with Anuttama Prabhu, a member of ISKCON’s governing body.

ISKCON’s original agenda included showcasing aspects of bhakti-yoga with a chariot parade, kirtan, yoga and a feast. However, ISKCON altered plans following warnings from Puri Gajapati Divyasingha Deb, who cautioned of potential legal action if the organisation conducted a Rath Yatra on November 9 in Houston and another scheduled for November 23 in Warri, Nigeria.

Previously, on October 30, Puri Gajapati had urged ISKCON’s Houston temple president, Saranga Thakur Dasa, to adhere to the traditional tithis (Hindu lunar calendar dates) for festivals like Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra. Though ISKCON subsequently removed the Snana Yatra listing for November 3 from its website, it continued to promote the Rath Yatra as ‘Festival of Bliss’ in Houston’s American Legion Park.