The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has successfully prevented an untimely celebration of the Rath Yatra in Punjab. A Jagannath temple in the Ferozepur district had planned to hold the festival on May 23. As part of its ongoing campaign to ensure uniformity in Rath Yatra celebrations across all Jagannath temples in India and abroad, the SJTA's chief administrator, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, wrote to the Ferozepur administration on Tuesday, urging intervention.
Coordination with Local Authorities
The temple was persuaded to align its observance with the official schedule of the Puri Jagannath Temple, which is revered as the main abode of Lord Jagannath. The Rath Yatra in Puri will be held on July 16. Responding swiftly, the Ferozepur administration held discussions with the local temple management on Wednesday and convinced them to follow the Puri schedule, thereby preserving the sanctity and uniformity of the festival.
Gratitude Expressed by SJTA
After writing a letter to Ferozepur district collector Deepshikha Sharma, I spoke with her over the phone and urged her to intervene. Her swift intervention paid off. The SJTA expresses gratitude to the Ferozepur administration, said Padhee. The SJTA has received a confirmation letter from the Ferozepur collector regarding the festival's postponement, along with written consent from the temple management. The temple administrators have provided their written consent to postpone the Rath Yatra, Sharma noted in her letter to Padhee.
Earlier Incident in Uttar Pradesh
Earlier on May 18, the SJTA urged the Uttar Pradesh government to stop an organization in the Hapur district from conducting a Rath Yatra on non-traditional dates. However, no response has yet been received from the Hapur administration. As per the schedule, Nabajaubana and Netrotsava will be held on July 14, and Rath Yatra on July 16. However, an organization in the Hapur district announced plans to observe Netrotsava on June 13 and Rath Yatra on June 14. We urge them to align with the festival dates of the Puri Jagannath temple, the SJTA said in a statement.
