The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has informed the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) that it would “not be possible” to conduct the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath on the same date across all ISKCON temples worldwide.

Responding to a letter from SJTMC chairperson and titular king of Puri, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, ISKCON clarified that while it deeply respects the traditions of the Jagannath Temple, coordinating the Rath Yatra on a single tithi (auspicious date) globally poses logistical and practical challenges due to time zone differences and local considerations.

In his earlier letter sent in September, the SJTMC chairperson had requested ISKCON to observe Shree Jagannath’s Snana Yatra (bathing ritual) and Rath Yatra strictly on the tithis prescribed by sacred scriptures and temple tradition, to maintain uniformity in global celebrations of Lord Jagannath.

While ISKCON agreed to celebrate the Snana Yatra on the traditional tithi of Jyestha Purnima across all its temples in India and abroad, it declined to fix a uniform global date for the Rath Yatra, citing differences in local calendars and logistical constraints.

The matter has sparked discussion among devotees and temple authorities, as efforts continue to preserve the sanctity and global harmony of Jagannath culture while respecting regional practicalities in ISKCON temples worldwide.