Who Does 'Jagannath Dham' Belong To? Digha Temple Becomes New Bengal-Odisha Flashpoint

News18

06-05-2025

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Popular sand artist from Odisha Sudarshan Patnaik wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take appropriate action in the matte
Jagannath Dham in Odisha's Puri, one of the four sacred Char Dham pilgrimage sites, has stood as a symbol of spiritual legacy since the 12th century. But now around 500 kilometres from Puri, a new temple with the title 'Jagannath Dham" has been inaugurated recently in the coastal resort town of Digha in the east Medinipur district of West Bengal.
Political parties mainly Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), as well as the civil society of Odisha, have objected to the Mamata Banerjee government's decision to name the temple in Digha 'Jagannath Dham", saying there are only four 'dhams" (pilgrimage sites) in the country and they recognise only one 'Jagannath Dham" i.e. of Puri.
'Using this revered title for any other location may cause religious confusion and runs contrary to the longstanding traditions and cultural heritage of Hinduism," he stated.
A moment to be cherished forever.The first glimpse of Lord Jagannath enshrined in the Garbhagriha of the Jagannath Temple in Digha will remain etched in my heart.
I felt my spirit stir with the divine radiance emanating from the sacred idol. I had the privilege of performing… pic.twitter.com/EYLaTycYaN
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 30, 2025
Many Hindu priests, researchers, servitors and scholars have rejected the naming of Digha's Jagannath Temple as a 'Dham". Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb, who is also the chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, said that only the 12th century shrine in Puri can be called 'Jagannath Dham' as per scriptures.
Deb, considered the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, in a statement, said, 'The Muktimundupa Pundita Sabha have said that the 'moola peetha' or original place of Shree Jagannath is 'Purushottama-kshetra' (Puri) and names, such as 'Jagannatha Dham', 'Purushottama-kshetra', 'Shreekshetra' and 'Neelachala Dham' refer only to Puri and cannot be used to refer to any other place where 'Chaturdha Daru Vigraha' (four-handed wooden idols) have been consecrated."
Echoing similar sentiment, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati said, 'The word 'dham' should not be used as there is only one 'Dham' of Lord Jagannath which is in Puri. A 'Dham' can only be in one place. It would not be right to call this temple 'Dham'."
Jagannath Dham History & Significance
Jagannath Dham in Puri, Odisha, is one of Hinduism's most revered pilgrimage sites, forming the eastern point of the Char Dham circuit along with Badrinath, Dwarka, and Rameswaram. The temple's construction dates back to the 12th century, initiated by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. However, legends and ancient texts suggest that the worship of Jagannath goes back centuries before the present structure. The temple's history is one of resilience, having survived invasions, looting, and multiple reconstructions, yet its spiritual significance has only grown stronger.
Within the sanctum of the Jagannath Temple in Puri reside the sacred triad of deities: Lord Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu; his elder brother, Lord Balabhadra; and their sister, Goddess Subhadra. These deities are distinctively carved from neem wood and collectively known as the Trimurti. Accompanying them is the Sudarshan Chakra, depicted not as a wheel but as a wooden pillar-like object, representing the divine power and cosmic energy associated with Lord Jagannath. The annual Rath Yatra, where the deities are carried on massive chariots through the streets of Puri, attracts millions of devotees and symbolizes the Lord's accessibility to everyone. Over the centuries, Jagannath Dham has emerged as a unifying center for various religious traditions and a focal point for the Bhakti movement, inspiring saints and devotees with its message of divine love and surrender.
'Use' Of Puri Jagannath Temple Sacred Wood To Make Idols in Digha
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) of Puri has issued a show cause to a senior servitor over the alleged use of surplus sacred wood of the 12th-century shrine in crafting idols in the temple at Digha.
The notice was issued to Daitapati Nijog secretary and senior servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra on the charge of 'creating confusion in the minds of countless devotees and worshippers" of Lord Jagannath through his contradictory statements and 'tarnishing the dignity" of the temple. 'Daitapati Nijog' is a group of servitors, considered bodyguards of Lord Jagannath.
Dasmohapatra has been asked to give his reply within seven days from May 4. Dasmohapatra, along with 55 other servitors from Puri, attended the consecration ceremony at the Digha temple in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30.
Dasmohapatra had allegedly used the Puri temple sacred wood, stored in 'Daru Gruha' (store room), to craft idols of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath for the Digha shrine and took them to the Digha Temple for installation.
BJP Vs Mamata
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who laid the foundation stone for the temple in Digha, reacted to the naming controversy. She said, 'We respect the temple in Puri and we also respect Jagannath Dham. Kaali Temple and Gurdwaras are everywhere across the country. Temples are there in all places…Why is there so much anger on this issue?"
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Sambit Patra, BJP MP from Puri Lok Sabha seat, objected to the naming of Digha temple and said there is only one Jagannath Dham in the world, and it is not possible to call any other place Jagannath Dham.
'There are four Dhams in India, and among them, one is a very important Dham- Jagannath Dham, Puri, and there should be no doubt that no other place can be called Jagannath Dham…I think that as an MP from Puri and also as a politician from Odisha, I should wait to see what investigation the temple administration does and what the report of that investigation is," he said.
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
May 06, 2025, 14:15 IST
News explainers Who Does 'Jagannath Dham' Belong To? Digha Temple Becomes New Bengal-Odisha Flashpoint