Gajapati Maharaja writes to Prez Murmu and PM Modi over ISKCON’s Jagannath Yatra outside India

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Puri: Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb has formally written to both President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appealing for their intervention regarding ISKCON organizing Snana Yatra and Ratha Yatra outside India.

The Gajapati Maharaja reminded the President and the Prime Minister that he had earlier submitted representations on this issue to the Prime Minister on 24th October 2025 and to the President on 20th April 2026.

“Over the last couple of months, ISKCON has performed several untimely Snana-yatras and Ratha-yatras in various countries outside India and has scheduled to hold many more such untimely Yatras in the coming months. A list of some of these untimely Yatras are attached hereto as Annexure 3. In-spite of strong protests from Hindu (especially Odia) community both within India and abroad, ISKCON continues to organize untimely Snana-yatra and Ratha-yatra in various cities abroad on random dates throughout the year thereby hurting the religious sentiments of countless devotees around the world”, read the Gajapati’s letter to PM.

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The Gajapati Maharaja stated that organising Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra on dates other than the prescribed tithi hurts the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees across the world.

Earlier, on Saturday, the Gajapati had written to ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission expressing his strong displeasure over the practice. In the letter, he urged the organisation to ensure that Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra are observed strictly according to the prescribed tithi and simultaneously with the celebrations held at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Also Read: Gajapati Maharaja Sends Strong Message To ISKCON Over Global Ratha-Yatra Timings

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