Bhubaneswar: Devotees of Lord Jagannath as well as members of Hindu community in the USA have raised objections to the ISKCON of Houston’s plan to hold Ratha Yatra on November 8.

They have urged the ISKCON of Houston to adhere to the scriptural calendar of Shree Jagannath temple at Odisha’s Puri town while holding the Ratha Yatra.

“There is a scriptural calendar for the celebration of Jagannath Ratha Yatra. Devotees have been adhering to the calendar for centuries. Deviating from the scriptural observance period could inadvertently hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus,” said Hindu community leader and former president of Orissa Culture Centre (OCC) Dr. Debananda Pati.

According to Hindu scriptures, the Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannath is observed in the months of June-July. Puri King Dibyasingha Deb, who is the first and foremost servitor of Lord Jagannath, has pleaded for upholding the centuries-old tradition while organizing Ratha Yatra anywhere in the world, added Pati.

“The OCC has been organising Shree Jagannatha Ratha Yatra in Houston since 2008, following the traditional guidelines established by the Jagannath temple at Puri. ISKCON Houston’s plan to hold Ratha Yatra on November 8 could undermine this long-standing tradition, creating confusion among devotees,” he said.

Pati has urged the ISKCON of Houston to strictly follow the tradition of Jagannath temple at Puri and cancel its plan to hold Ratha Yatra on November 8.

"Hinduism is now an established religion in the USA. We have numerous temples dedicated to Lord Jagannath. All these temples are following the tradition of Puri shrine. Therefore, we request ISKCON to maintain the centuries-old tradition and cancel its proposed Ratha Yatra on November 8,” Pati said.