Bhubaneswar, October 15 : ISKCON has once again sparked outrage for allegedly violating Jagannath temple traditions by organizing a non-traditional Ratha Jatra in Rishikesh. The 28th Ratha Jatra, conducted on October 7 by Madhuban Ashram, saw the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra being paraded in a car-like four-wheeled vehicle, which many devotees and religious organizations consider a blatant disrespect to age-old rituals.
As per tradition, only the Puri Srimandir is authorized to conduct the Rath Yatra following prescribed Vedic rituals. Multiple religious groups have expressed strong condemnation and are urging the Srimandir Administration to take strict action against ISKCON for repeated violations of sacred customs.
The event has created widespread discontent among Jagannath devotees, with calls for preserving the sanctity of Lord Jagannath’s rituals and preventing distortion of traditional practices in the name of devotion.
