Authorized Dates for Observing the Jagannatha Rathayatra: Presentations and Research Findings by the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB)

The ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) recently presented a series of research findings and discussions to the Shri Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) on the topic of authorized dates for celebrating the Jagannatha Ratha-yatra. These discussions took place on 20th March 2025 in Bhubaneswar, India, before Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb and distinguished scholars. Below are the summaries of their presentations and research findings, with full references and credits to IISB.

Five-Minute Presentations of IISB to SJTA on 20 March 2025

Source: IISB

These presentations were made by members of the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) before 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. The format of the discussion was that an IISB scholar would read his presentation, and the SJTA scholars would comment on the presentation. Each presentation was limited to approximately five minutes in length, and the SJTA scholars were given approximately the same amount of time to respond. These presentations were read as-is in the meeting, and printed versions in both English and Oriya languages were made available to the revered Maharaja, the Chief SJTA Administrator and SJTA scholars. The English and Oriya versions of the IISB presentations are available in PDF format and may be accessed below.

Research on Authorized Dates for Observing the Jagannatha Rathayatra around the World

Source: IISB

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: