For months on this site we’ve been diving into the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON) — its history, its Controversies, and its global reach.

We’ve traced how it grew from a storefront in New York into a worldwide network of temples, and how it has often found itself at odds with both mainstream Hinduism and the societies in which it operates.

But now, the story has taken a dramatic turn.

A Clash at the Heart of Devotion

On September 7, 2025, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri, Odisha, issued a 100-page ultimatum to ISKCON. The charge was stark: ISKCON had been violating sacred tradition by staging Jagannath’s most important festivals — Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra — on the wrong dates, in the wrong places, and in ways that undermine centuries of ritual authority.

The Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Dibyasingha Deb, who is both the titular king and the foremost servitor of Lord Jagannath, made the temple’s position unmistakably clear:

“It is established beyond any doubt that such festivals only could be celebrated on the tithis mandated by the scriptures and traditions.“

This was not just a theological reminder. It was a Public Ultimatum, backed by the weight of scripture, tradition, and the authority of one of Hinduism’s most revered temples.

From New York Streets to Global Stages

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), better known as he Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Arriving in New York with little more than a trunk of books, Prabhupada began teaching the devotional tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, centered on Krishna.

Through public chanting, vegetarian food distribution, and charismatic preaching, ISKCON attracted thousands of young Westerners disillusioned with materialism. Its temples became hubs of spiritual counterculture in the 1960s and 1970s.

Today, ISKCON claims millions of adherents and operates more than 800 centers worldwide. Its festivals, especially Rath Yatra processions, are staged in cities from London to Los Angeles, drawing both devotees and curious onlookers.

Yet ISKCON’s global reach has always been shadowed by controversy. The movement has faced:

  • Child abuse scandals in its gurukula (boarding school) system, with widespread reports of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse in the 1970s and 1980s. Survivors later won a $9.5 million settlement in U.S. courts. This wasn’t the only case and many other child abuse cases have been reported in survivor communities.
  • Leadership crises after Prabhupada’s death in 1977, when power was divided among eleven gurus, some of whom were later implicated in corruption, abuse, and even violent crime.
  • Financial improprieties and allegations of drug trafficking and money laundering, documented in investigative works like Monkey on a Stick.
  • Ongoing scandals involving senior leaders such as Bhakti Vidya Purna Swarmi and Lokanath Swami, both accused of sexual misconduct.

The controversies have left ISKCON with a complicated legacy: a movement that has undeniably Spread Krishna Devotion Globally, but one that has also struggled with accountability, credibility, and survivor justice.

Sacred Rituals at the Center of the Storm

The conflict with the Puri temple centers on two of Jagannath’s most sacred festivals.

Snana Yatra (The Bathing Festival):
Held on the full moon of Jyeshtha (May-June) this marks the first public appearance of the deities each year. Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are brought out of the sanctum and bathed with 108 pots of sanctified water, infused with herbs and flowers. Afterward, they are dressed in Hati Besha (elephant attire), symbolizing divine playfulness. Following the bath, the deities are believed to “fall ill” and are kept in seclusion for 15 days (Anasara), during which they are treated with Ayurvedic medicines before reappearing rejuvenated.

Rath Yatra (The Chariot Festival):
Two weeks later, in Asadha (June-July), the deities are placed on towering wooden chariots, rebuilt each year, and pulled through the streets of Puri to the Gundicha Temple. The Gajapati King himself performs Chhera Panhara, sweeping the chariots with a golden broom, symbolizing humility before god. The festival embodies divine accessibility: the gods leave their sanctum to meet the people, breaking barriers of caste and status.

These rituals are not mere festivals. They are theological dramas, embodying the relationship between divinity and humanity, and are inseparably tied to the sacred geography of Puri.

The Ultimatum from Puri

The SJTA’s 100-page dossier accused ISKCON of staging these festivals on “random dates,” ignoring the lunar calendar that dictates when they must occur. In 2025 alone, ISKCON reportedly organized 68 Rath Yatras and 40 Snana Yatras worldwide, many before the official Puri dates.

SJTA officials explained that they had already appealed to ISKCON privately. Since 2021, ISKCON had corrected the date of Rath Yatra within India, but Snana Purnima continued to be celebrated on unauthorized dates both inside and outside the country.

One official stated:

“We had very humbly requested the ISKCON organization to conduct or perform all such rituals only on the tithis as per the scriptures or the traditions. But we have noticed that…they are performing the Snana Prunima on different dates which are not mandated by the scriptures and traditions.“

The Gajapati Maharaja went further, warning that if ISKCON did not comply within a month, the temple administration would consider legal action.

ISKCON’s Counter-Move

ISKCON responded with its own 100-page report to the Odisha government. In it, the movement argued that it was in fact preserving authentic practices, and that the temple itself had allowed deviations.

An ISKCON spokesperson in Bhubaneswar admitted the difficulty of global coordination:

“We agree that the festivals should be celebrated on the correct tithis. But ISKCON is a worldwide movement, and we have little control over how every center abroad schedules its events.“

At the same time, ISKCON defended its global festivals as acts of devotion, not violations:

“Our Rath Yatras and Snana Yatras are meant to glorify Lord Jagannath and spread His mercy worldwide. To say that these celebrations hurt devotees is unfair — they inspire devotion wherever they are held.“

The counter-move highlights ISKCON’s dilemma. On one hand, it wants to present itself as disciplined, scripture-based movement. On the other, it admits that its global centers often act independently, making uniformity difficult. The very success of its missionary model, planting Jagannath festivals in cities from New York to Nairobi, has created a problem of authority.

What This Means for ISKCON & Cults in General

This dispute is more than a quarrel over dates. It exposes the fragility of ISKCON’s global authority and raises deeper questions about cults, authority, and legitimacy.

  • Psychology: Cults often thrive by offering certainty, belonging, and sacred order. When an external authority — especially one as symbolically powerful as the Puri temple — challenges that certainty, it creates cognitive dissonance.
  • Sociology: ISKCON’s global spread mirrors how cults adapt to diaspora communities, but also how they clash with traditional custodians of culture. This is a textbook case of a new religious movement colliding with established authority.
  • Philosophy: The conflict raises profound questions about the nature of ritual. Is sanctity tied to place and lineage (Puri’s claim), or can it be universalized and exported (ISKCON’s claim)?

Is This the Beginning of the End?

It would be premature to declare this the end of ISKCON. The movement has weathered crises before: child abuse scandals, leadership corruption, financial improprieties, and waves of public criticism. Each time, it has managed to survive, often by rebranding, decentralizing, or leaning on its global network of temples and congregations. ISKCON’s resilience lies in its diffuse structure — even if its reputation suffers in India, its festivals abroad will likely continue to draw crowds and new recruits.

But this dispute does mark a turning point. For the first time, ISKCON is being challenged not by secular critics, journalists, or disillusioned ex-members, but by the very custodians of the tradition it claims to represent. That is a different kind of threat. If the Puri temple pursues legal action, of if Hindu communities abroad begin to question ISKCON’s authority, the movement could face a slow erosion of legitimacy.

In the study of cults and new religious movements, this is often how decline begins — not with a dramatic collapse, but with a gradual loss of credibility. Members begin to doubt, outsiders become skeptical, and the group’s ability to recruit and retain followers weakens. ISKCON is unlikely to vanish overnight, but this confrontation could mark the start of a long process of delegitimization.

Closing Reflection

The battle over Jagannath’s festivals is not just about dates on a calendar. It is about who owns tradition, who speaks for God, and how globalized religion collides with local authority.

For ISKCON, this is a moment of reckoning. For the Puri temple, it is a defense of sacred continuity. And for the rest of us, it is a reminder of how cults and high-control groups operate: by claiming exclusive access to truth, by reshaping tradition to fit their mission, and by demanding loyalty from their followers.

When those claims are tested — as they are now — we see the psychology of belief, the sociology of authority, and the philosophy of ritual all laid bare.

Whether this dispute becomes a footnote in ISKCON’s history or the beginning of its long decline, it has already revealed something essential: that even the most globalized movements cannot escape the pull of place, tradition, and legitimacy.

By Beth Gibbons (Queen of Karma)

Beth Gibbons, known publicly as Queen of Karma, is a whistleblower and anti-MLM advocate who shares her personal experiences of being manipulated and financially harmed by multi-level marketing schemes. She writes and speaks candidly about the emotional and psychological toll these so-called “business opportunities” take on vulnerable individuals, especially women. Beth positions herself as a survivor-turned-activist, exposing MLMs as commercial cults and highlighting the cult-like tactics used to recruit, control, and silence members.

She has contributed blogs and participated in video interviews under the name Queen of Karma, often blending personal storytelling with direct confrontation of scammy business models. Her work aligns closely with scam awareness efforts, and she’s part of a growing community of voices pushing back against MLM exploitation, gaslighting, and financial abuse.