Puri: Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingh Deb has strongly reacted to the issue of distributing sweets as Mahaprasad by the Digha Jagannath Temple. Gajapati Maharaja said that if Jagannath is to be worshipped, then ISKCON will have to follow the tradition of Jagannath culture. Gajapati Maharaja expressed displeasure at how ISKCON can call sweets as Mahaprasad.
He also reacted to the issue of ISKCON’s untimely Rath Yatra. After repeated discussions with the organization in India, they have agreed to hold Rath Yatra as per the Jagannath tradition.
A discussion was held with Gajapati Maharaj in 2024. The temple Sevayats opinion was put forward. Later, on in March, the learned saints of the temple gave their scriptural opinions. Gajapati Maharaja expressed hope that ISKCON will stop the untimely Rath Yatra after getting the full consent of the temple administration.
He said that the Rath Yatra should be done according to the tradition. Similarly, the Cultural Sub-Committee of Shri Jagannath Administration will be reactivated to remove the negative culture and incorrect information about Shri Jagannath.
Jagannath Pancha Ratra (Five Shri Jagannath nights) will be organized throughout India so that the present and future generations can know in detail about Jagannath culture in detail.
The incident of serving sweets as Mahaprasad in Digha Jagannath temple is unacceptable the Puri Gajapati Maharaja said.
Further it is worth mentioning that, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb raised an alarm over scarcity of wood for Rath Yatra 2025 in Puri district of Odisha. He urged the State government to take necessary steps at the earliest to check the wood supply.
