Jaishankar Urged to Intervene in ISKCON Kenya Rath Yatra Date Row

A controversy has emerged over an ISKCON-organised Rath Yatra in Kenya , with devotees of Lord Jagannath in Odisha urging the Centre to ensure overseas celebrations follow the traditional calendar of the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri .

Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik , renowned sand artist and former member of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) , appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to advise Indian embassies and high commissions to associate only with Rath Yatra events held according to the temple's prescribed rituals and dates.

In a post on X, Pattnaik said the off-schedule celebration in Kenya had hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees. He also objected to the participation of officials from the Indian High Commission in Kenya , who reportedly joined the chariot-pulling ceremony and shared photographs of the event on the mission's official social media platforms.

He said the Rath Yatra is a centuries-old religious tradition that should be observed strictly in accordance with the sacred calendar followed by the Puri temple.

Meanwhile, Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb said the temple managing committee would seek the Union government's intervention after ISKCON declined its request to align overseas Rath Yatra celebrations with Puri's traditional schedule.

Deb said he had written to ISKCON's new chairman on July 4 , urging adherence to the temple's dates, but received a reply on July 7 stating that the organisation would continue to conduct international Rath Yatras on dates decided independently.

Following consultations with the Odisha government , the SJTMC has decided to raise the issue with the Centre. Deb said a delegation from the Puri temple will visit New Delhi after the Rath Yatra festival to present its concerns and seek an appropriate resolution while preserving the sanctity of Jagannath traditions .