Satyen Mohapatra
Controversy is brewing over Rath Yatra of Shree Jagannath, which is taken out annually at the 12th century Jagganath temple at Puri,Odisha.
This year the temple administration along with lakhs of devotees are demanding that an objectionable practice by the ISKCON (International Society of Krishna Consciousness) of holding this most sacred festival of Odisha, Shree Jagannath’s Rath Yatra “arbitrarily” on any day of the year in different parts of the world, in complete violation of sacred Hindu scriptures and ancient religious traditions be immediately stopped.
The devotees are demanding that ISKCON should not be allowed to make a mockery of Rath Yatra and hurt the religious sentiments of millions of devotees of Shree Jagannath all over the world.
In the Hindu sacred text , the Skanda Purana, (Purusho tama-kshetra Mahatmyam,
Adhyaya 29, Shlokas 32-41, 44 &45),Shree Jagannath himself clearly instructs King Indradyumna to hold the Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival) as a nine-day festival commencing only on the Dwitiya Tithi (second day) of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Ashadha.
The temple administration feels that performing Ratha-yatra on any other day of the year is a blatant transgression of the Divine Command of the Supreme Lord.
ISKCON seeming to ridicule the religious sentiments of Shree Jagannath devotees holds “Rath Yatra” on July 4, every year in Washington DC when Shree Jagannath’s Rath is one of many floats in the Independence Day Parade, which gets reviewed by the President of the United States of America himself and Shree Jagannath is on national television.
ISKCON’s excuse is that if they do Rath Yatra on any other day then the President of America does not get to see Shree Jagannath and Shree Jagannath does not come on national television.
It is just preposterous of ISKCON to say that they hold Rath Yatra of Shree Jagannath
(Lord of the Universe or God Almighty) flouting His instructions, so that the President of
the United States of America gets to see Shree Jagannath (who is God Himself for the believers) and so that Shree Jagannath is able get prime time on the national television of America.
Its vey belittling and degrading the faith of all Shree Jagannath devotees all over the world,devotees feel.
The fact that , Shri Jagannath’s Ratha is carried as one among large number of other floats in the US Independence Day Parade itself is demeaning.
The devotees are demanding that this abhorrent practiced be stopped immediately.
Only for Rath Yatra and that too held on that specific day Dwitiya Tithi (second day) of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Asadha that the deities of Shee
Jagannath (alongside Shri Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra) are required to be taken outside of the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath temple in Puri for going to visit their aunt queen Gundicha’s temple about three kilometers away, each on three separate chariots.
For several centuries Rath Yatra has been carried out on the same fixed date as commanded by Lord Jagannath himself. Therefore, as part of religious tradition, the Dwitiya Tithi (second day) of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Ashadh,is the fixed and unchangeable date when Rathyatra must happen on every lunar cycle each year devotee affirm.
To popularise Krishna ISKCON carries out several activities like Hari Nam Sankirtan, public discourse programs , distribution of books and various religious and spiritual activities throughout the year which devotees feel adequately serve the objectives of ISKCON.
They are objecting only to the untimely holding of Rath Yatras in different parts of the world at different days
The Jagannath temple authorities have also agreed that if ISKCON wishes it can hold Rath Yatras on other auspicious days in the year but take out the Utsava Vigrahas which are idols installed in the ISKCON temple specifically meant to be taken out if necessary.
All important Hindu religious festivals are celebrated on fixed days of the year, based on the prescription in sacred scriptures and tradition after careful and detailed study of the lunar- solar calendars of the year by pundits, astrologers and religious heads to finalise the date on which the festival falls in a particular year.
A deeply religious society, Hindus believe that by observing religious festivals on a fixed day annually they too participate in the sacred ritual being carried out regularly in a historical and cosmic time cycle.
Shree Jagannath himself has assured that all the sins of devotees will be washed away and devout would get liberated from the cycle of birth and death if they have a glimpse of Lord during Rath Yatra, according to the Skanda Purana. Millions of devotees gather in Puri to get a glimpse of Shree Jagannath.
This is perhaps the only instance of a deity coming out of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for mingling with the crowds without any religion, class or caste barriers . It may be because many of his devotees, belonging to lower caste and non Hindus and foreigners are not allowed to enter the temple at all. Shree Jagannath wants to demonstrates through Rath Yatra that God belongs to everyone and all social barriers are created by society break down in front of God.
The annual festival of Rath Yatra is held on a specific day every year and provides spiritual renewal for millions of devotees throughout the world.
Puri in Odisha is one of the most sacred pilgrimage site for Hindus where resides Lord Jagannath a form of Vishnu. The 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri is dedicated to him, and Puri is one of the four major pilgrimage sites (Dham) in India including Badrinath, Dwarka,Rameswaram. Visiting Puri is considered essential for attaining moksha(salvation) for Hindus.
Rath Yatra is the biggest and most sacred festival in Odisha celebrated by millions all over the globe helping build social unity, preserve cultural identity and pass on a significant religious tradition.
According to sacred scriptures and ancient well-established tradition, the sacred
Ratha-yatra of Shree Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu is a nine-day festival
(navadinatmaka-yatra) commencing every year only on Asadha Shukla-paksha Dvitya
Tithi.
This has been a major area of conflict between Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (Puri) and ISKCON (International Society of Krishna Consciouness) for past several years.
Lord Jagannath (meaning "Lord of the Universe") is believed to be a cosmic manifestation of Lord Krishna.
The Skanda Purana, explicitly states that Lord Jagannath is Krishna himself. There is also a belief that when Krishna departed from the earthly realm at the end of the Dwapara Yuga, his physical body was cremated but his heart remained unburned . The heart was immersed in the sea which washed ashore Puru and this divine relic was was placed inside the wooden statue of Shree Jagannath.
The ISKCON which had had several interaction Jagannath Mandir Temple Management has agreed that ISKCON will conduct Shree Jagannatha Ratha-yatra in India within the nine-day auspicious period, but outside India, it will continue with its practice of holding the yatra on various dates throughout the year. This stand is not acceptable to the temple management and Jagannath devotees.
The devotees point out - Can any one dare to change the dates of other major Hindu festivals like Shree Krishna-Janmashtami or Shree Rama-Navami, Shree Maha Shivaratri , Shree Ganesh-Chaturthi or Holi, Diwali, Durga Pooja (Navaratri), Dussehra, Vasant Panchami, Makara-sankranti,Gurupurab.
Can anyone hold these festivals at any day they felt like in the year ?
These are celebrated all over the world on only that specific date that is sanctioned by sacred scriptures.
Even in other world religions, holy festivals are celebrated around the world according to lunar/solar calendar and dates sanctioned by sacred scriptures or tradition.
Any deviation in the date of the above festivals will not be tolerated by the followers of the concerned religion anywhere in the world leading to widescale protest.
Can Christmas or Dussehra be celebrated on any day one feels suitable in different parts of the world?
Then why should Rath Yatra the greatest and most sacred festival of Jagannath devotees be celebrated as and when ISKCON feels like anywhere in the world, devotees ask.
Several sacred scriptures such as, Kaalamaadhavah, Veeramitrodayah, and Neeladri Mahodaya, categorically state that changes may be made in the conduct or performance of the rituals depending on the place and circumstances but under no circumstance, whether within India or abroad, is it permissible to alter/change the date for performing the yatra.
Specifics prayers are chanted, innumerable rituals are performed , specific attires are worn by the idols, the King of Puri sweeps the chariots symbolically as an obesience to the Lord even today. All the religious rituals have been performed meticulously as per sacred texts for the past centuries.
To flout the command of Jagannath (Lord of the Universe) and carry out Rath Yatra on any day one liked disregarding the sacred scriptures and tradition is an insult to all followers of Lord Jagaganath and a blatant transgression of the Divine Command of the Supreme Lord, Jagganath,devotees feel.
Nine-day period for holding Ratha-yatra has also been mentioned by Maharshi Vedavyasa in Brahma Purana and Padma Purana and has been reiterated in several other scriptures.
The sacred scriptures written by Maharshi Vedavyasa includes Vedas and Puranas that constitute the very foundation of Sanatana Dharma.