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News18
06-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Who Does 'Jagannath Dham' Belong To? Digha Temple Becomes New Bengal-Odisha Flashpoint
Last Updated: 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 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… — 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?" top videos View all 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
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Breaking News Today Live Updates: Only Puri temple can be called 'Jagannath Dham', says Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb : Jagannath Dham Row Live: Puri king rejects Digha temple'
Jagannath Dham Row Live: Puri king rejects Digha temple's use of sacred title Puri's titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb, asserted that the newly inaugurated Jagannath temple in West Bengal's Digha cannot be referred to as 'Jagannath Dham'. As the chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee and the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, Deb emphasized that, according to scriptures, only the 12th-century shrine in Puri is entitled to the name 'Jagannath Dham'. In a statement, he said, "Upon learning from media about the newly consecrated Shree Jagannath temple at Digha being named as 'Jagannath Dham' or 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre', I sought the opinion of Muktimundupa Pundita Sabha on this matter." He further stated, "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."
Hans India
06-05-2025
- General
- Hans India
Digha temple not ‘Jagannath Dham': Puri Gajapati
Puri: Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb on Monday claimed that the Jagannath temple in West Bengal's Digha cannot be called 'Jagannath Dham'. Deb, 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, 'Upon learning from media about the newly consecrated Shree Jagannath temple at Digha being named as 'Jagannath Dham' or 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre', I sought the opinion of Muktimundupa Pundita Sabha on this matter.' '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,' Deb said. 'I wish to add here that the glory of Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu is most authentically and comprehensively expounded by Maharshi Veda Vyasa in 'Shree Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmyam' contained in the 'Vaishnava Khanda' of Skanda Purana. A plain reading of this scripture will leave no doubt that it is only Puri which can be called 'Shree Jagannatha Dham' and not any other place or temple because it is Puri which is the eternal holy abode of the Supreme Lord -- Shree Purushottama-Jagannath,' he added. Deb said that in 'Shree Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmyam', Mahararshi Jaimini narrates the glory of Purushottama-kshetra Puri in this manner: 'Although Lord Jagannath is all-pervading and is the source of all and there are also other holy places which destroy all sins, yet this holy place is superior as it has become the Body of this Supreme Being. He Himself is present there assuming a Form and has indeed made that place known by His own Name (Purushottama)'. He also said that in Brahma-Purana, Neeladri Mahodaya and other sacred scriptures which conclusively establish that Shree Purushottamakshetra Puri is the eternal most Holy Abode of Shree Purushottama-Jagannath. 'And, as stated in Padma-Purana (Chapter 6) it is the sacred eternal Abode of the Lord that is called 'Dham' and not any other place or temple. Over the centuries, the great founder-acharyas of various sampradayas of Sanatana Vaidika Dharma, such as Bhagavatpada Adi Shankaracharya, Shree Ramanujacharya, Shree Nimbarkacharya, Shree Madhvacharya, Shree Ramanandacharya, Shree Chaitanya and Shree Vallabhacharya acknowledged Puri (and no other place) as Shree Jagannatha Dham,' he pointed out. 'In view of the above, I sincerely urge the authorities of Digha Jagannath Temple to desist from naming Digha Jagannath Temple as 'Jagannath Dham' or 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre',' he said. Deb said temples of Shree Jagannath around the world should honour and uphold the glorious heritage of Lord Jagannath with regard to the proclamations in sacred scriptures and age-old traditions of the moola-peetha Shreemandira in Shree Jagannath Dham Puri. 'Dishonour or disrespect to time-honoured traditions and heritage of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath will hurt the religious sentiments of countless devotees around the world,' he added.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Digha's Jagannath temple not 'Jagannath Dham': Puri's titular king
Puri , Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb on Monday claimed that the Jagannath temple in West Bengal's Digha cannot be called 'Jagannath Dham'. Deb, 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, "Upon learning from media about the newly consecrated Shree Jagannath temple at Digha being named as 'Jagannath Dham' or 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre', I sought the opinion of Muktimundupa Pundita Sabha on this matter." "The Muktimundupa Pundita Sabha have said that the 'moola peetha' or original place of Shree Jagannath is 'Purushottama-kshetra' 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' have been consecrated," Deb said. "I wish to add here that the glory of Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu is most authentically and comprehensively expounded by Maharshi Veda Vyasa in 'Shree Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmyam' contained in the 'Vaishnava Khanda' of Skanda Purana. A plain reading of this scripture will leave no doubt that it is only Puri which can be called 'Shree Jagannatha Dham' and not any other place or temple because it is Puri which is the eternal holy abode of the Supreme Lord Shree Purushottama-Jagannath," he added. Deb said that in 'Shree Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmyam', Mahararshi Jaimini narrates the glory of Purushottama-kshetra Puri in this manner: "Although Lord Jagannath is all-pervading and is the source of all and there are also other holy places which destroy all sins, yet this holy place is superior as it has become the Body of this Supreme Being. He Himself is present there assuming a Form and has indeed made that place known by His own Name ". He also said that in Brahma-Purana, Neeladri Mahodaya and other sacred scriptures which conclusively establish that Shree Purushottamakshetra Puri is the eternal most Holy Abode of Shree Purushottama-Jagannath. "And, as stated in Padma-Purana it is the sacred eternal Abode of the Lord that is called 'Dham' and not any other place or temple. Over the centuries, the great founder-acharyas of various sampradayas of Sanatana Vaidika Dharma, such as, Bhagavatpada Adi Shankaracharya, Shree Ramanujacharya, Shree Nimbarkacharya, Shree Madhvacharya, Shree Ramanandacharya, Shree Chaitanya and Shree Vallabhacharya acknowledged Puri as Shree Jagannatha Dham," he pointed out. "In view of the above, I sincerely urge the authorities of Digha Jagannath Temple to desist from naming Digha Jagannath Temple as 'Jagannath Dham' or 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre'," he said. Deb said temples of Shree Jagannath around the world should honour and uphold the glorious heritage of Lord Jagannath with regard to the proclamations in sacred scriptures and age-old traditions of the moola-peetha Shreemandira in Shree Jagannath Dham Puri. "Dishonour or disrespect to time-honoured traditions and heritage of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath will hurt the religious sentiments of countless devotees around the world," he added.
