These essays were presented by members of the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) to Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, Dr. Aravind Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shri Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA), and scholars representing the SJTA on 20th March 2025 in Bhubaneswar, India, on the occasion of a discussion between IISB and SJTA scholars. These long-form essays address the topic of whether the Shri Jagannatha Rathayatra may be performed on dates other than the Ashadha-shukla-dvitiya, the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha (June-July), or dates near enough to it. This is the day for the Rathayatra stipulated in the Skanda Purana.
The necessity for the discussion arose because some ISKCON centers do not observe the Rathayatra on this date. The SJTA has objected to this practice and has requested ISKCON to comply with the traditional date, as observed by the SJTA. ISKCON in India has complied with that request, but the rest of ISKCON outside of India has not. The SJTA has continued to insist that the rest of ISKCON around the world come into compliance with their mandated dates.
These essays presented by members of the ISKCON India Scholars Board to the SJTA scholars explain why ISKCON does not always follow this practice.
The essays are herewith presented in this PDF document:
