'Lord Jagannath Saved Donald Trump': ISKCON Recalls 1976 New York Rathyatra Help

New Delhi: Former President Donald Trump, after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, credited divine intervention for his survival. "God alone prevented the unthinkable from happening," Trump stated in his first response. Meanwhile, social media buzzed with a viral claim suggesting that Trump's survival on July 13 was due to his past involvement in a Jagannath Rath Yatra event. 

An official from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) reminisced about a 1976 event where Donald Trump, then an up-and-coming real estate magnate in New York, supported a symbolic rath yatra planned for the city. 

In response to Trump’s post claiming that there was ‘divine intervention’ when he dodged the bullet targeted at him, ISKCON Kolkata chief Radharamn Das wrote on X: "Yes, for sure it's a divine intervention." 

"In July 1976, Donald Trump helped ISKCON devotees organize Rathayatra by providing his train yard for the construction of the raths for free. Today, as the world celebrates the 9-day Jagannath Rathayatra festival, this terrible attack on him and his narrow escape show  Jagannath's intervention," Das’ tweet read. 

He noted that exactly 48 years ago, Donald Trump had played a crucial role in saving the Jagannath Rathayatra festival. Today, as the world once again celebrates this festival, Trump faced an attack, and Jagannath repaid the favor by protecting him. 

The Jagannath Rath Yatra is known as the oldest and largest chariot festival, celebrated in Puri, Odisha, and many other parts of the world. 

1976 Jagannath Rath Yatra In New York 

According to ISCKON chief, New York city organised its first chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in 1976 with support of Donald Trump, then a 30-year-old rising real estate mogul in the United States. 

Das highlighted, “Nearly 48 years ago, when the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was planning to organize the first Rath Yatra in New York City, challenges were galore.” 

recounted the challenges faced in organizing the first Jagannath Rath Yatra on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Securing a parade permit was seen as a miracle but finding a large empty site for constructing the chariots seemed impossible.  

After numerous rejections, Donald Trump, then a budding real estate mogul, provided a solution. Das wrote that the organizers visited Trump's office with prasad and a letter, requesting permission to use an old railway yard Trump had recently purchased. Three days later, Trump's secretary informed them that Trump had read their letter, tasted the food, and immediately agreed to their request. 

An ISKCON official's claim connecting Donald Trump's survival of an assassination attempt to his 1976 assistance in organizing the Rath Yatra has gained significant traction on social media. As of this report, the post had garnered over 810000 impressions on X.

Yes, for sure it's a divine intervention.

Exactly 48 years ago, Donald Trump saved the Jagannath Rathayatra festival. Today, as the world celebrates the Jagannath Rathayatra festival again, Trump was attacked, and Jagannath returned the favor by saving him.

In July 1976, Donald… https://t.co/RuTX3tHQnj

— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) July 14, 2024