Bhubaneswar: Despite repeated criticisms, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) continues to disregard the traditional norms of Lord Jagannath’s rituals. A fresh controversy has erupted after ISKCON’s Madhuban Ashram in Rishikesh organised the annual Rath Yatra on a non-traditional date, October 7.

According to reports, devotees witnessed Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra placed in a four-wheeled vehicle, a practice not in line with Lord Jagannath's rituals.

There exists a fixed ritual calendar for festivals related to Lord Jagannath, including Rath Yatra, which are observed according to specific dates and traditions approved by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). However, ISKCON’s repeated organisation of such non-traditional Rath Yatras has drawn sharp criticism.

Last month, on September 6, during a meeting chaired by Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, ISKCON was handed a detailed 100-page document explaining why its off-date Rath Yatra was against temple tradition. The Gajapati King had also cautioned ISKCON that legal action would be taken if it continued to ignore the temple’s ritualistic norms.

Barely a month later, ISKCON once again defied that directive and went ahead with its October 7 Rath Yatra. Many devotees and traditionalists have now urged the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration to initiate legal proceedings against ISKCON.