Gajapati Maharaja's
Appeal to the World
Aadya Sevak of Lord Jagannatha & Chairman, Shree Jagannatha Temple Managing Committee, Puri
Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb โ the revered King of Puri and the foremost servant of Lord Jagannatha โ is calling upon devotees worldwide to honour the scriptural timing of Ratha Yatra. His Holiness's passionate appeal is rooted in centuries of unbroken tradition and the direct commandments of Lord Jagannatha as recorded in the Skanda Purana.
Gajapati Maharaja
Dibyasingha Deb
King of Puri, Odisha
The Revered King of Puri
Gajapati Maharaja's lineage holds a place of singular honour in the hearts of devotees worldwide. His family has carried forward the centuries-old sacred responsibility of serving Lord Jagannatha โ whom Gajapati Maharaja regards, with complete devotion, as the Supreme Lord.
During the magnificent Ratha Yatra procession, it is Gajapati Maharaja who performs the Chhera Pahara โ the symbolic sweeping of the chariots with a golden-handled broom โ reminding all that before the Lord, even a king is but a humble servant. This act embodies the essence of the Jagannath tradition: that the divine is accessible to all, and all are equal before Him.
With profound reverence for sacred scripture, Gajapati Maharaja has consistently urged devotees worldwide to honour the traditional tithis as outlined in the Skanda Purana and other Puranas. His passion for preserving the authenticity of Ratha Yatra reflects his lifelong commitment to ensuring that this sacred festival remains deeply rooted in its spiritual essence โ uncompromised by convenience or commercial considerations.
"In view of sacred scriptures, long-established tradition and the religious sentiments of devotees around the world, I request you to ensure that the Most Holy Ratha Yatra and Snana Yatra of Lord Jagannatha are celebrated by ISKCON Centres around the world only on the tithis/dates sanctioned by scriptures and tradition."
โ Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, 29th October 2024
The Untimely Ratha Yatra Problem
According to sacred scriptures and ancient well-established tradition, Ratha Yatra is a nine-day festival (navadinatmaka-yatra) commencing every year only on Ashadha Shukla-paksha Dvitiya Tithi. For several decades, however, ISKCON temples outside India have been holding Jagannatha Ratha Yatra on various dates throughout the year โ contrary to this Divine Command.
ISKCON India (Post 2021)
After years of dialogue, ISKCON India Bureau formally passed a Resolution on 21 July 2021 to celebrate Ratha Yatra only on scripturally sanctioned tithis/dates.
ISKCON Outside India
ISKCON centres outside India continue to hold Ratha Yatra on various dates contrary to scriptures and tradition โ hurting the religious sentiments of countless devotees.
Our Appeal
Shree Jagannath Sanskriti United stands with Gajapati Maharaja's appeal. We urge all Jagannatha temples and organisations worldwide to honour the correct tithis.
The Correct Timing per Scripture
Ashadha Shukla-paksha Dvitiya Tithi to Dwadashi / Trayodashi Tithi
This nine-day period is prescribed in Skanda Purana (Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmyam), Brahma Purana, and Padma Purana as narrated by Maharshi Vedavyasa. It has been followed at the Moola-peetha Shree Jagannatha Temple at Puri since time immemorial. Importantly, since this is a nine-day window, one or two weekends always fall within it โ making the "weekday scheduling difficulty" argument for overseas temples entirely without merit.
Six Reasons from Scripture & Tradition
The following reasons are drawn from the scholarly note "Untimely Ratha Yatra" prepared in connection with Gajapati Maharaja's appeal. The full document is available for download below.
Universal Principle of Sacred Tithis
Every major festival of Sanatana Vaidika Dharma โ Janmashtami, Rama Navami, Mahashivaratri, Diwali, Durga Puja โ is celebrated worldwide on tithis sanctioned by scripture. The same holds for Christmas, Eid-al-Fitr, Yom Kippur, and Vaisakhi. No community alters the date of its most sacred festival for convenience. Ratha Yatra โ the greatest festival of the Supreme Lord Shree Purushottama Jagannatha โ deserves no less.
The Divine Command in Skanda Purana
In the words of Maharshi Vedavyasa (Skanda Purana, Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmyam, Adhyaya 29, Shlokas 32โ41, 44 & 45), Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu Himself proclaimed that His Ratha Yatra shall be a nine-day festival (navadinatmaka-yatra) commencing only on Ashadha Shukla-paksha Dvitiya Tithi. The same is confirmed in Brahma Purana and Padma Purana. Performing Ratha Yatra on any other day is a blatant transgression of the Divine Command.
Vedavyasa's Scriptures Are the Foundation
ISKCON faithfully abides by the Divine Proclamations of Shree Krishna as narrated by Maharshi Vedavyasa in Shreemad Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita. It defies all logic when the same organisation refuses to abide by the Divine Proclamations of Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu narrated by the same Maharshi Vedavyasa in Skanda Purana and Brahma Purana.
The Deities Are Presiding โ Not Utsava โ Vigrahas
Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannatha, Shree Baladeva, Devi Subhadra and Chakraraj Sudarsana are the Chaturdha Daru Vigrahas โ the Presiding Deities. They are not Utsava Vigrahas. According to Naradiya Samhita, Atri Samhita and unbroken temple tradition, Presiding Deities leave the sanctum-sanctorum only on two occasions: Snana Yatra and Ratha Yatra โ and only on the scripturally appointed tithis. Taking Them out on any other day is a breach of Lord Jagannatha's own Commandments.
Tithis Cannot Be Altered Under Any Circumstance
Sacred texts including Kaalamaadhavah, Veeramitrodayah, and Neeladri Mahodaya categorically state that the tithi prescribed for a festival cannot be changed under any circumstance. While the manner of conducting Ratha Yatra may be adapted (desha-kala-patra nyaya), the tithi itself is non-negotiable. Notably, since Ratha Yatra is a nine-day festival, one or even two weekends will naturally fall within the prescribed period โ making the "weekday inconvenience" argument invalid.
Unbroken Tradition Since Time Immemorial
Shree Jagannatha Ratha Yatra has been performed since time immemorial at the Moola-peetha in Puri within the sacred nine-day period commencing on Ashadha Shukla-paksha Dvitiya Tithi. This ancient tradition has been followed in countless Jagannatha Temples across India for centuries. Departing from this breaks a living, unbroken spiritual heritage.
ISKCON's Tithi-Vihina Ratha Yatras in 2026
The following is an excerpt from the official press release of Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration, Puri (11 April 2026) โ documenting ISKCON centres conducting Ratha Yatra on wrong dates in 2026. The correct date per scripture is 16 July 2026 (Ashadha Shukla Dvitiya).
USA & Canada โ 35+ Cities
Annexure B-1 of Press Release
- San Juan, Puerto Rico โ 27 Dec 2025
- Miami, Florida โ 4 Jan 2026
- Phoenix (Chandler), Arizona โ 18 Jan 2026
- Honolulu, Hawaii โ 19 Jan 2026
- Daytona Beach, Florida โ 14 Mar 2026
- St Augustine, Florida โ 11 Apr 2026
- Dallas, Texas โ 18 Apr 2026
- Oberlin, Ohio โ 2 May 2026
- Jacksonville Beach, Florida โ 16 May 2026
- New Orleans, Louisiana โ 24 May 2026
- Baltimore, Maryland โ 29โ30 May 2026
- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada โ 30 May 2026
- Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada โ 31 May 2026
- Atlanta, Georgia โ 6โ7 Jun 2026
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada โ 6 Jun 2026
- New York City โ 13 Jun 2026
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania โ 20 Jun 2026
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada โ 20 Jun 2026
- Chicago, Illinois โ 20 Jun 2026
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada โ 20 Jun 2026
- Parsippany, New Jersey โ 21 Jun 2026
- St. John, Newfoundland, Canada โ 27 Jun 2026
- Boston, Massachusetts โ 27โ28 Jun 2026
- Saranagati (near Vancouver), BC, Canada โ 28 Jun 2026
- Indianapolis, Indiana โ 4 Jul 2026
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada โ 4โ5 Jul 2026
- Houston, Texas โ 15 Jul 2026
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada โ 11โ12 Jul 2026
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota โ 25 Jul 2026
- Vancouver, BC, Canada โ 25โ26 Jul 2026
- Portland, Oregon โ 1 Aug 2026
- Los Angeles, California โ 2 Aug 2026
- Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada โ 16 Aug 2026
- San Francisco, California โ 23โ24 Aug 2026
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania โ 26 Sep 2026
Note: The above list is not complete โ ISKCON will conduct Tithi-Vihina Ratha-Yatras in other cities also during 2026.
UK & Europe โ 28+ Cities
Annexure B-2 of Press Release
- London, England โ 24 May 2026
- Chelmsford, England โ 31 May 2026
- Cologne, Germany โ mid-Jun 2026
- Antwerp, Belgium โ 19 Jun 2026
- Rome, Italy โ 20 Jun 2026
- Prague, Czech Republic โ 21 Jun 2026
- Milton Keynes, England โ 27 Jun 2026
- Leicester, England โ 28 Jun 2026
- Paris, France โ 28 Jun 2026
- Hague, Netherlands โ 3 Jul 2026
- Vienna, Austria โ 4 Jul 2026
- Croydon, England โ around 4 Jul 2026
- Zurich, Switzerland โ 5 Jul 2026
- Budapest, Hungary โ 11 Jul 2026
- Southend-on-sea, England โ 12 Jul 2026
- Newcastle, England โ 12 Jul 2026
- Birmingham, England โ 24 Jul 2026
- Bratislava, Czech Republic โ 25 Jul 2026
- Brighton, England โ 11 Sep 2026
- Ilford, England โ 4 Oct 2026
Note: The above list is not complete.
Correct Dates in 2026
Source: Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration, Puri โ Official Press Release, 11 April 2026
Timeline of Events
2008
Gajapati Maharaja writes first letter to ISKCON GBC Chairman at Mayapur, urging worldwide compliance with correct Ratha Yatra tithis.
2021
ISKCON India Bureau formally passes a Resolution: ISKCON Centres within India will henceforth celebrate Ratha Yatra only on tithis sanctioned by scriptures and tradition.
Sept 2025
Final Opinion of Scholars issued (2nd September 2025), providing a comprehensive exposition of scriptural authority on correct Ratha Yatra timing.
Oct 2025
ISKCON GBC Chairman's letter acknowledges compliance within India but confirms ISKCON centres outside India will continue on non-sanctioned dates โ which remains unacceptable.
Oct 2024
Gajapati Maharaja writes again to the new GBC Chairman, urging ISKCON Houston (proposing Snana Yatra on 3rd Nov and Ratha Yatra on 9th Nov 2024) and global centres to postpone and comply.
Gajapati Maharaja's Press Conference
Watch His Holiness address the media on the importance of honouring the correct tithis for Ratha Yatra worldwide.
Read the Documents
These official documents from Gajapati Maharaja and the scholarly panel form the foundation of this appeal.
Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration โ Press Release
Official press release from Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration, Puri (11 April 2026) containing the complete Shreemandira festival calendar 2026โ2027 and a comprehensive list of all ISKCON Tithi-Vihina (wrong-date) Ratha Yatras being held in USA, Canada, UK, Europe, and other countries contrary to scripturally sanctioned tithis.
Gajapati Maharaja's Letter to ISKCON GBC
Letter dated 29th October 2024 from Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb to H.H. Guru Prasad Swami Maharaj, Chairman of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission, urging compliance with correct Ratha Yatra tithis at all ISKCON centres worldwide.
Untimely Ratha Yatra: A Brief Note
A comprehensive scholarly exposition of the scriptural basis for the correct Ratha Yatra timing, citing six detailed reasons from the Skanda Purana, Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, Naradiya Samhita, Atri Samhita, and other sacred texts.
Stand with Gajapati Maharaja
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