22. Prahlada Performed Ratha-yātrā

22. Prahlada Performed Ratha-yātrā:

In the Bhaviṣya Purana it is mentioned that in Satya-yuga Prahlada performed Ratha- yātrā. He put Mahāvişnu on a ratha and dragged it. Then the demigods, siddhas and gandharvas performed Ratha-yātrā. Also, in ancient days in the month of Kartika there was Ratha-yātra of Krsna. 

But according to Skanda Purana the date of Ratha-yātrā is fixed. There it is said that the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Asadha, on the Püşyami Nakşatra, is the day for Ratha-yātrā. 

But in ISKCON we may do Ratha-yātrā any time. We do it any time because Śrīla Prabhupāda started that. Why did he do so? Some criticize it. They say the ISKCON devotees don't follow the scripture and that there is a fixed date for Ratha-yäträ. Here in Utkal, Orissa, they cannot do it on any other date. They would face much criticism since the famous Ratha-yātrā in Jagannatha Purī is here and it is performed on the date as is mentioned in Skanda Purana. So they cannot do it on other days here.