"ISKCON is performing Snan Purnima on dates which are not mandated by scriptures, traditions": Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannatha Temple Office

Puri (Odisha) [India], September 7 (ANI): Arabinda K Padhee, Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannatha Temple Office, Puri, urged the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temples to perform festivals such as Snan Purnima as per the dates mentioned in the scriptures and traditions.
Speaking to the reporters, Padhee said, "We have noticed that in many instances, the ISKCON organisation is performing this ritual on dates that are not in accordance with the scriptures or traditions of the Shree Jagannatha Temple."
He further said that the Shree Jagannatha Temple administration had earlier humbly requested the ISKCON organisation to perform all such rituals only on the dates specified by scriptures and traditions.
"But we have noticed within the country, in India, they are performing Rath Yatra on the mentioned dates, but not Snan Purnima. In many places outside the country and even within the country, they are performing the Snan Purnima on different dates, which are not mandated by scriptures and traditions," Padhee added.
Padhee further stated that the scholars from the Shree Jagannatha Temple administration studied all the Puranas and Shastras related to performing such rituals. "Now it is established beyond any doubt that these festivals can only be celebrated on the dates mentioned in the scriptures and traditions," he added.
He further urged the ISKCON administration to kindly accept the Jagannatha Temple administration's request. Padhee added, "This particular decision has been approved by the management committee of Shree Jagannatha Temple, and we are requesting the ISKCON organisation to kindly offer their consent within a month's time."
Earlier, Erstwhile King of Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb targeted the ISKCON temples for conducting Rath Yatra at a random time of the year, calling it a violation of sacred traditions.
Speaking to the reporters on Saturday, Gajapati Maharaja said, "The very well-established tradition regarding the festivals of Lord Jagannatha is that the Lord celebrates his birthday with Snan Yatra on Jyestha Purnima...These traditions have been followed since ancient times in India as well as outside India, but Rath Yatra at most of the ISKCON temples was being celebrated at any random time of the year, which is completely in violation of sacred traditions."
To take action against this, Gajapati Maharaja started a dialogue regarding this with ISKCON and ultimately, the ISKCON governing body agreed with them and said, "Lord Jaganath Rath Yatra will be performed by ISKCON temples in India according to the scriptures and traditions. However, they stated that the governing body commission will make the decision on the Yatras outside India... We discussed with them as well..."
Moreover, the erstwhile King of Puri further stated that the views presented by ISKCON were thoroughly examined by their scholars as well but found that they were totally "baseless".
"Many Yatras of different deities in different states are done according to their traditions... Similar should be done with Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra," he further added.
Gajapati Maharaja added that a 100-page report has been sent to the ISKCON authorities, demolishing all the grounds that they have been trying to justify.
"We hope that they will take cognisance of the scriptures, and a quick decision will be taken. Otherwise, legal course will be the last resort...This is the ultimate, and we are not having any more dialogues with ISKCON," he added. (ANI)