&w=3840&q=100)
Uproar in Odisha as West Bengal govt calls Digha temple 'Jagannath Dham'
A newly inaugurated Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal, has sparked a major controversy between the neighbouring eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal. At the heart of this dispute is West Bengal's decision to call the temple 'Jagannath Dham', a title traditionally and scripturally exclusive to the historic 12th-century Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha — one of Hinduism's most sacred pilgrimage sites.
Built over 22 acres at a cost of approximately Rs 250 crore, the temple in Digha is being promoted as both a spiritual centre and tourist attraction. However, slogans such as 'No need to go to Puri to see Jagannath Dham and the sea,' have intensified resentment, NDTV reported.
More than just a name
The term 'Dham' has long held religious importance in Hindu theology. Adi Shankaracharya, a prominent 8th-century Hindu scholar, named four key pilgrimage sites as India's official 'Char Dham': Badrinath, Dwarka, Rameswaram, and Puri. Religious experts, priests, and servitors from Odisha have strongly protested West Bengal's usage of the term, claiming that it misrepresents and undermines centuries-old traditions.
Sudarsan Pattnaik, a prominent international sand artist and Padma Shri awardee from Odisha, has publicly expressed his concerns about the situation.
In a letter addressed to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Pattnaik said, 'This statement has deeply hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees worldwide. According to our sacred scriptures, there exists only one Jagannath Dham, which is located in Puri. Associating any other temple with the title may lead to confusion and contradict long-standing spiritual and Hindu cultural traditions.'
Pattnaik has also urged the Odisha government to engage diplomatically with its West Bengal counterpart to resolve the issue amicably. Copies of the letter were also sent to Odisha's Law Minister, Prithiviraj Harichandan.
Controversial symbolism
Adding to the ongoing dispute, promotional materials released by the West Bengal government included imagery that strongly resembled the 'Neelachakra' and 'Bana' – sacred symbols associated exclusively with the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Critics have accused the Bengal government of cultural appropriation, claiming that the symbols purposely blurs the distinction between the two temples.
Political tensions heat up
Meanwhile, West Bengal's Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, has issued an open letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi demanding immediate clarification.
Adhikari highlighted tender documents from the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), which describe the structure as 'Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra' (cultural centre) and questioned the conflicting public messaging.
'If this is a cultural centre, why is the public being invited to a temple inauguration? The invitation card must clearly state what is being inaugurated, a temple or a centre,' Adhikari wrote.
Adhikari also previously questioned the legal validity of using state funds for building religious structures, citing the constitutional separation of religion and state. He compared it to the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, funded entirely by public donations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Andhra Deputy CM Pawan extends Rs 25 lakh aid to slain jawan's kin
ANANTAPUR: Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena chief Konidala Pawan Kalyan kept his promise made during the martyred Jawan Murali Naik's funeral and extended financial aid of Rs 25 lakh from his own funds to the family members on Saturday. Jana Sena MLAs Arani Srinivasulu (Tirupati), Nimmala Jayakrishna (Palakonda), Anantapur-Hindupur Urban Development Authority (AHUDA) Chairman TC Varun, along with several other key Jana Sena leaders, visited Murali Naik's hometown Kalli Thanda in Gorantla mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district and paid floral tributes to the slain jawan's portrait. Later, the MLAs handed over the cheque to Murali Naik's parents and enquired about their well-being. On the occasion, the Jana Sena MLAs assured that the coalition government will stand by the jawan's family and told Murali's parents, Jyothibai and Sriram Nayak, that the entire nation is indebted to them, whose son had made the supreme sacrifice while defending the country.
Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Alcohol industry asks Maharashtra govt to rethink excise duty hike, calls for deliberations
Expressing concern over the increase in the excise duty on Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) by up to 50 per cent by the Maharashtra government, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), the apex body of the Indian Alcoholic Beverage Industry, has urged the state government to reconsider the hike and hold deliberations with all stakeholders immediately. Sources in the excise department said the industry body was trying to protect its interest, but declined to comment on any possibility of a rollback. The state cabinet on Tuesday approved a hike in excise duty on IMFL, country liquor, and imported alcohol. The decision is expected to raise the state's annual excise collection by approximately Rs 14,000 crore as the prices of IMFL and premium foreign liquor brands are likely to increase by 50-80 per cent. The CIABC claimed that while the intent behind the proposed hike may be to enhance revenue collections by Rs 14,000 crore, the actual outcome may be contrary–driven by declining sales, rising illicit trade, and border leakages. The long-term impact could be deeply detrimental, not only for industry and employment, but also for public safety and overall state revenues. Stating that the CIABC had already written to the Maharashtra government urging it to start a consultative process with all stakeholders before releasing any final gazette notification, Anant S Iyer, Director-General, CIABC, said the hike in excise duty was projected to push maximum retail prices up by as much as 85 per cent, a step that could severely disrupt the market, erode the competitiveness of national brands, and jeopardise the availability of legitimate alcoholic beverages in the state. 'Such an unprecedented escalation in duties poses a serious deterrence to consumer access of established and reputed brands, compelling a shift toward lower-category products. This poses a serious threat to the stability of the IMFL industry in the state…such a move will have a far-reaching adverse impact,' Iyer said. He warned that higher MRPs often create a vacuum filled by illegal operators. The IMFL industry contributes approximately 60 per cent of the total excise revenue of the state.
New Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Prove ‘Talliki Vandanam' allegation or resign as MLA: Savitha to Jagan
VIJAYAWADA: BC Welfare Minister S Savitha has challenged YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, stating that she is willing to resign from her Ministerial post and MLA seat if they can prove their allegations that funds from the Talliki Vandanam scheme are being misappropriated by HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh. Speaking at the TDP headquarters in Mangalagiri on Saturday, Savitha questioned whether Jagan would also resign from his Pulivendula MLA post if the claims were unproven. Highlighting the success of the scheme, she emphasised that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had fulfilled his promise of providing Talliki Vandanam financial assistance to mothers without restricting benefits to a single student per family. 'Our government honoured its commitment, and both mothers and students are happy. A total of Rs 8,745 crore is being deposited into the accounts of mothers under Talliki Vandanam. The efforts of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, and HRD Minister Lokesh were instrumental in implementing the scheme,' she added.
