Puri sacred wood not used in making Digha idols: Harichandan
The Odisha government also urged the authorities in West Bengal to refrain from using 'dham' with newly built Jagannath temple at Digha and stop projecting the sea there as 'Mahodadhi' (the great ocean). Though both seas at Digha and Puri are the same, the Bay of Bengal, the one at Puri is called 'Mahodadhi' as the Odisha town with the 12th-century Jagannath shrine is considered a sacred place of pilgrimage.
The Law Minister also threatened to take legal steps against the West Bengal government if it does not stop referring to the Digha temple as a 'Jagannath Dham'. The alleged use of sacred wood of the Puri temple in crafting idols of the shrine at Digha and treating the West Bengal temple as a 'Jagannath Dham' by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who inaugurated it last week, sparked off a huge controversy.
Harichandan had asked the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) of Puri on May 2 to investigate the matter. The administration of the temple in Puri is under the Law department of the Odisha government. The SJTA on Sunday questioned a senior servitor as part of its investigation. The servitor, 'Daitapati Nijog' secretary Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra, attended and supervised the consecration ceremony at the Digha temple in the presence of Mamata Banerjee on April 30. 'Daitapati Nijog' is a group of servitors considered bodyguards of Lord Jagannath.
'I have received the interim report from the SJTA Chief Administrator and the State's Law department Secretary. It was found during the investigation that the senior Daitapati servitor had crafted the idols of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath in Odisha and taken them to Digha,' the minister told reporters.
'But, those idols were made by a carpenter in Bhubaneswar by using neem wood and not the sacred wood stored in Daru Gruha (wood store room) of the Puri temple as alleged. We have verified it from the Bhubaneswar carpenter who crafted the idols,' he said.
It was alleged that some Puri servitors used leftover 'neem' wood from the 2015 'Nabakalebara' (new form) ritual to make the idols for the shrine in Digha. 'Nabakalebara' is a ritual held every 12 or 19 years, during which the wooden bodies of the three idols are changed at the Puri temple.
The claim about the use of wood from the Puri temple came after Dasmahapatra's interview was telecast by a Bengali news channel. On this, the minister said, 'He (Dasmahapatra) has admitted during questioning by the SJTA that it was a slip of the tongue and he had no such ill intention. Still, the SJTA has issued him a show cause notice asking him to reply within seven days from Sunday.'
Apart from Dasmahapatra, who is known as Rajesh Daitapati in West Bengal, over 50 other servitors from the Puri temple reportedly attended the consecration ceremony at the Digha temple.
Harichandran also appealed to the West Bengal government not to use the title 'dham' with the Jagannath temple of Digha. 'They (the SJTA and the Law department Secretary) have made certain recommendations after taking the opinions of various groups of servitors at the Puri temple. None of them objected to a Shree Jagannath temple anywhere in the country. But the title 'dham' cannot be used arbitrarily and all sea cannot be called 'Mahodadhi',' Harichandan said.
The minister said the State administration has decided to request the West Bengal government to withdraw the 'dham' title from the temple and stop projecting the sea at Digha as 'Mahodadhi'. 'If they (West Bengal government) does not respond to our request, we will be forced to take legal recourse,' Harichandan said.
The Law Minister said the SJTA would soon issue guidelines for various Jagannath temples across the country and an SOP for the servitors of Puri temple to avoid confusion and controversies in future.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Panel set up to curb infiltration, says PM
New Delhi: India's demography is being changed as a part of a well thought-out conspiracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged on Friday as he announced a high-powered demographic mission to tackle the 'massive crisis lurking over India'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi salutes during address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on 79th Independence Day. (ANI) 'Today, I want to tell you about a challenge. The country's demography is being changed as a part of a well thought-out conspiracy. A new crisis is being created. And these intruders are snatching away employment opportunities for our youth... They are targeting our sisters and daughters. This will not be tolerated. These intruders are usurping the land of innocent tribals. This country will not tolerate such acts,' Modi said in his customary address to the nation on Independence Day. He added: 'When there is a demographic change, especially in the border states, it creates a crisis for national security. It creates a crisis for the country's unity, integrity and development and creates social tension. No country can give away its land to illegal immigrants. No country in the world can afford to do this. How can India allow this to happen?' Referring to the struggle for India's independence, Modi said: 'Our forefathers have sacrificed themselves to give us freedom and an independent India. It is our duty towards them that we do not tolerate such activities in our country. That will be the real tribute to them.' 'I want to say from the Red Fort, we have decided to start a high-powered demographic mission. With this mission we will tackle the massive crisis lurking over India,' he said, adding that the mission will work within a stipulated time and with a well thought-out strategy. The PM's comments come amid a major political tussle over the identification and deportation of undocumented Bangladeshis in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states. The Opposition has attacked Modi over the 'harassment' of Bengali-speaking Muslims in the garb of this exercise. Undocumented immigration is a major issue in Assam and West Bengal, the two border states going to the polls next year. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has launched what he calls a drive to evict and send back Bangladeshis. In June, Sarma said 330 illegal Bangladeshis were sent back. In July, a political slugfest broke out between West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Assam counterpart Sarma on social media on July 19 with the two leaders accusing each other of engaging in divisive and appeasement politics Banerjee alleged that the BJP was persecuting Bengali speakers in Assam. 'This divisive agenda of the BJP in Assam has crossed all limits and people of Assam will fight back. I stand with every fearless citizen who is fighting for the dignity of their language and identity, and their democratic rights,' she posted on X on July 19. Soon after, Sarma hit back stating: 'Didi (Mamata Banerjee), let me remind you—In Assam, we are not fighting our own people. We are fearlessly resisting the ongoing, unchecked Muslim infiltration from across the border, which has already caused an alarming demographic shift. In several districts, Hindus are now on the verge of becoming a minority in their own land,' he wrote on X.
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
'After 20 years, an unknown CM…': Himanta warns of demographic change on Independence Day
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma warned on Friday that "a CM from unknown people" will hoist the national flag in Assam in 20 years if the Assamese people remain silent, PTI reported. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inspects a Guard of Honour during the 79th Independence Day celebration, in Guwahati, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.(PTI) Sarma, who was hoisting the national tri-colour in Guwahati on Independence Day, did not clarify who the 'unknown people' are. However, according to PTI, he used the expression several times in his speech in an apparent reference to Bengali-speaking Muslims. 'If we do not act now, in just a few years, Assam's demography will change in such a way that even the chief minister will be from the community of infiltrators,' he later wrote in a post on his X handle. Also Read | Assam launches scheme for indigenous people in 'vulnerable areas' to get arms licence Sarma also appealed to indigenous people to pledge to fight for survival and said that his government would clear every piece of land from unauthorised occupancy. "Like love jihad, now a section is trying to threaten Assamese identity by indulging in land jihad. Through a series of evictions, we have given the message that our government will never compromise," he added. Also Read | Assam's Muslim population may equal Hindus by 2041: Himanta Sarma Sarma added that "unknown" people's aggression changed the demography of lower and central Assam, and then they eyed upper and north Assam. "To stop them, we have declared war on their aggression. I promise that we will evict the unknown people from every piece of grazing land, tribal belt and government land," he said, according to PTI. 'These unknown people are advancing to capture political power now, after almost capturing economic power. They have captured every sphere of the construction sector. We cannot remain silent,' he added.
NDTV
13 hours ago
- NDTV
'Facing Love Jihad Threat': Assam Chief Minister's Independence Day Message
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that 'illegal infiltration' - seen by many as a reference to Bengali-speaking Muslims - poses an "existential threat" to the northeastern state's indigenous communities. Mr Sarma also claimed Assam is engaged in 'a battle to keep the identity of the indigenous people alive'. "We are facing everything from love jihad to land jihad," the BJP leader declared during his Independence Day speec, calling on Assamese communities to 'defend' their heritage. "The spirit of the tricolour brought people together as we celebrate the country's 79th Independence Day... in an atmosphere of peace and backed by solid progress achieved over the last few years. I urge everyone to always uphold the pride of the nation," Mr Sarma said on X, declaring Assam had 'compromised with infiltrators' for 78 years and allowed 'certain demographic changes' to take root. The bureaucracy under previous governments have a lot to answer for - as to how such a mind boggling scale of encroachment by infiltrators was allowed in Assam. #IndependenceDay — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 15, 2025 "If we remain silent, in the next decade we will lose our identity, our land, and everything. Even the Kamakhya Temple hills could be encroached if we don't react now," he warned. Appealing to indigenous residents to not sell any land to 'unknown buyers', he said his government had granted land rights to indigenous people to strengthen community ownership. "We have already compromised in many districts. As a proud Assamese, I am not ready to compromise anymore. Our fight now will inspire the next generation to keep our identity alive." The Chief Minister also accused some of 'surrendering to infiltrators'. "To stop them, we have declared war on their aggression. I promise that we will evict the unknown people from every piece of grazing land, tribal belt and government land," he said. "These unknown people are advancing to capture political power now, after almost capturing economic power. They have captured every sphere of the construction sector." The Chief Minister's sharp remarks echo those made this time last year, when he declared he would not let Bengali-speaking Muslims take over the state. Mr Sarma further declared 'I am not in the competition for minority votes', a remark the Congress said was a communal statement. Speaking in the Assembly after the opposition's adjournment motion on key issues - including the targeting of Bengali Muslims, or Miyas, in upper Assam's Sivasagar district - Mr Sarma dared his rivals, "I will take sides. What can you do? Will not let Miya Muslims take over Assam." The remarks came two days after Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi accused the BJP of trying to recreate the 2002 Gujarat riots in Assam. Mr Gogoi's comments followed reports that some organisations had threatened Muslims from Upper Assam to leave the administrative division. Assam will vote in what is likely to be a highly-charged Assembly election in March-April 2026.
