Rourkela: Several Odia organizations and devotees of Lord Jagannath in the United Kingdom on Saturday submitted memoranda of protest to the local ISKCON centres, objecting to the proposed celebrations of Snan Yatra and Rath Yatra in May, way ahead of the traditional dates. According to the memorandum, Iskcon Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford is scheduled to observe the Snan Yatra on May 10, while the London Rath Yatra is scheduled for May 24. It stated that in 2026, the Snan Yatra falls on June 29, while Ratha Yatra begins on July 16, on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya, according to the traditional Jagannath calendar.The memorandum, submitted by Prabashi Odia UK; Odisha Society of UK; Shree Jagannatha Temple, Bath; and devotees from the wider Indian community, expresses concern over what they describe as the “untimely” celebration of Lord Jagannath’s sacred festivals. The groups have urged the Iskcon temples in the UK and across the world to observe Snan Yatra and Rath Yatra only on the ‘tithi’ (dates) prescribed in scriptures and followed at Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri.The signatories said: “Rath Yatra is not merely a cultural procession but a sacred nine-day festival rooted in scriptural injunctions and centuries-old temple tradition.”They cited texts, including Skanda Purana, Brahma Purana, Padma Purana and Niladri Mahodaya, stating that the Snan Yatra is to be observed on Jyeshtha Purnima (full moon day) and Rath Yatra on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya.While acknowledging ISKCON’s global role in popularizing Lord Jagannath worship and devotional culture, the memorandum said: “The timing of core rituals should not be altered for convenience, crowd management or weekend accessibility.”The Odia groups also said that such celebrations on non-prescribed dates deeply hurt the sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees worldwide, particularly the Odia community, for whom the Lord is central to their spiritual, cultural and emotional identity.
