Gajapati Maharaja Urges PM, President to Stop ISKCON’s Foreign Rath Yatra

Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb has once again appealed to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging immediate action against ISKCON’s conduct of Rath Yatra and Snana Jatra rituals abroad.

The Maharaja emphasised that these sacred rituals are inseparably tied to the Jagannath Temple in Puri and cannot be replicated elsewhere without violating centuries‑old traditions.

He warned that such practices risk diluting the sanctity of Mahaprabhu Jagannath and misleading devotees worldwide.

In his letter, the Maharaja requested a personal meeting with the President to discuss the matter and sought the Prime Minister’s intervention to halt ISKCON’s foreign celebrations.

He stressed that preserving Odisha’s spiritual heritage is vital to maintaining the purity and authenticity of Jagannath culture.