Latest news with #Daru
New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
No Srimandir Daru used in carving idols of deities: Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan
BHUBANESWAR: Amid the raging controversy over the newly inaugurated Jagannath temple at Digha, state Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan has clarified that no surplus Daru (sacred neem wood from the Srimandir Nabakalebara ritual) has been used for the construction of idols of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra in the West Bengal temple. After the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) submitted its inquiry report on Monday, Harichandan told mediapersons that the Daitapati Nijog secretary Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra had got the idols carved of neem wood by Bhubaneswar-based sculptor Sudarshan Maharana and no Daru was used for the purpose, as he had claimed before some news channels in West Bengal. 'It is now clear that the statements given by Dasmohapatra were complete lies. These statements had hurt the religious sentiments of all Jagannath devotees,' he said. A team of SJTA officials including temple chief administrator Arabinda Padhee and Law secretary Manas Ranjan Barik had questioned Dasmahapatra and several other servitors of Srimandir, including the Maharana sevayats on the matter over the last three days. The SJTA has also sought an explanation from Dasmohapatra on his misleading remarks, within seven days. If his explanation is not satisfactory, the temple administration will take action against him as per the temple Act. 'Dasmohapatra, who had earlier indicated that surplus Nabakalebara Daru was used for making Digha idols, has clarified that the statement was a slip of tongue and he had no intention in saying so. Further, the Maharana sevayats (temple carpenters) said it is not technically possible to carve out three 2.5-ft idols from the surplus Daru,' the minister said. Harichandan pointed out a mistake committed by the then state government in 1995-96 as far as keeping the surplus Daru in Srimandir's Daru Ghara.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SJTA issues show-cause notice to Daitapati Nijog secretary over claim of Puri Daru use in Digha temple
PURI: Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabinda Padhee on Sunday served a show cause notice to the secretary of Daitapati Nijog Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra following his statement after the inauguration of Digha's Jagannath temple in West Bengal. Apart from Ramakrushna, the SJTA chief also summoned the president of Daitapati Nijog Ganeswar Dasmahapatra and questioned the duo. Ramakrushna has been asked to file his reply within seven days. If he fails to give a satisfactory reply, disciplinary action under the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 will be initiated against him. 'Being a senior servitor and secretary of the Daita Nijog, he should not have indulged in these activities. This has shocked devotees,' the SJTA notice stated. After the meeting, Ganeswar told the press that he had answered all the questions posed by Padhee and assured to cooperate in the investigation. Notably, Ramakrushna came under scanner after his interview with a TV channel in West Bengal which went viral. In the interview, Ramakrushna reportedly said the Daru (neem wood) that had remained unused during the Holy Trinity's Nabakalebara in Puri in 2015, was used for carving the deities in the Digha temple. Sources said almost all the Nijogs have filed their statements on the issue by 5 pm on Sunday. Members of the Nijogs reportedly informed that they were not aware of any Daru being taken out of the temple's storeroom and called for a thorough investigation into the matter. In his letter to Padhee, president of Chhatisha Nijog Janardan Pattajoshi Mahapatra pointed out a major flaw in the temple administrative procedure. He said as per tradition, the surplus Daru should have been stored in a designated room with the keys deposited with the temple administration. However, during the last Nabakalebar, the administration failed to collect the keys from the Daitas, raising suspicion about the removal of the neem wood. Pattajoshi called for an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, activist Jayant Kumar Das lodged a complaint with Singhadwar police accusing Ramakrushna Das Mahapatra of criminal breach of trust, cheating, dealing in stolen property, intentional insult to religious belief and criminal breach of trust. Convenor of Jagannath Sena Priya Darshan Patnaik also filed a similar complaint against Ramakrushna.
New Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Daru, Dham cause a stir in Odisha after West Bengal CM Mamata inaugurates Jagannath temple in Digha
BHUBANESWAR: The newly inaugurated Jagannath temple at Digha in West Bengal has sparked a massive controversy over the purported use of Daru (neem wood) that had remained unused during the Holy Trinity's Nabakalebara in Puri in 2015 for carving the deities, and naming the shrine as Jagannath Dham. Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Friday ordered an enquiry into the use of Daru in making the deities and the association of Srimandir servitors in its consecration ceremony. While the naming of the Digha temple as Jagannath Dham has caused a huge uproar, as the Srimandir in Puri finds place among the four Dhams, the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus in the country. Taking cognisance of the controversy, Harichandan said, "These things, particularly the talks around use of Nabakalebara Daru, are completely unacceptable and have become a matter of great concern for devotees of Lord Jagannath worldwide and the four crore people of Odisha. "The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has been directed to initiate an inquiry into all the allegations and anyone found guilty will face action under the provisions of law,' he added.
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Odisha govt. orders probe into Puri Jagannath priests' role in West Bengal temple ceremony
The Odisha government has ordered a probe into allegations that leftover timber procured for the Nabakalebara rituals at the Jagannath Temple in Puri was used to carve the idols of the sibling deities at a new Jagannath temple complex in Digha, West Bengal, built at an estimated cost of Rs. 250 crore. In a letter addressed to Arabinda Padhee, Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said, 'Use of sacred Daru (wood procured for the Nabakalebara rituals) in making of idols in Digha Jagannath Temple is unacceptable.' Mr. Harichandan also remarked that it was also improper for sevayats (traditional priests of the Puri Jagannath Temple) to participate in the consecration ceremony of newly constructed Jagannath Temple at Digha and naming of the temple as Jagannath Dham. 'This has hurt sentiments of Jagannath devotees and 4.5 crore people of Odisha. The SJTA should conduct an internal probe and bring the truth to public. If someone is found guilty or is knowingly involved in wrongdoing, they should be penalized after obtaining due permission from the State government,' said the Law Minister. There are two sets of idols installed in the Digha Temple – one made of stone and another of neem timber. Even as controversy erupted over the naming of new temple complex at Digha in West Bengal as Jagannath Dham and the alleged use of Nabakalebara wood in idols, Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, a prominent sevayat, admitted to have attended the consecration event. 'Establishment of Jagannath Temple outside Puri is not new. When we were invited to Digha Temple, we raised objections to stone-carved Jagannath idols. Sibling deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are always made of timber. On our advice, another set of idols were installed in the temple. The idols made from neem timber were carved in Puri and used in the Digha Temple,' said Mr. Dasmohapatra. On controversy of naming the temple complex as 'Dham', the sevayat said, 'the Digha Temple complex cannot be a 'Dham' as the Puri Jagannath Temple is one of four sacred centres or 'Dhams' of Hindu religion in the country. Both the States should mutually discuss the matter and erase the name 'Dham' from the Digha Temple complex.' Nabakalebara of the Jagannath Temple in Puri is a sacred ritual that marks the symbolic death and rebirth of Lord Jagannath. It involves the creation and installation of new wooden idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshan, while the old ones are ritually buried within the temple premises at Koili Baikuntha. Held at irregular intervals—typically every 12 to 19 years—this elaborate ceremony is one of the most significant events in the Jagannath cult. The last Nabakalebara was observed in 2015. Selection and procurement of timbers were held with thousands of devotees thronging around the neem trees before they were felled and brought to Puri in 2015. Digha Jagannath Temple, a replica of the 12th-century world famous shrine in Puri, was inaugurated on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on April 30.
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Odisha to probe use of leftover wood from Puri at Digha's Jagannath temple
Odisha law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Friday told the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration chief Arabinda Padhee to investigate claims that surplus sacred neem wood from the 2015 Nabakalebara ceremony at Puri's 12th-century Jagannath Temple was used to create idols for West Bengal's Jagannath temple opened in Digha this week. The Nabakalebara ritual involves the renewal of the wooden idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra, and Sri Sudarshan using sacred neem wood (Daru). Harichandan said the probe seeks to uncover the truth about a claim that was made and that 'appropriate action' will be taken against those found guilty. Odisha's probe was triggered by reports that Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra, a senior Daitapati servitor from Puri who attended the Digha temple's inauguration, claimed he transported surplus Daru from the 2015 Nabakalebara to craft the Digha idols. According to reports from Bengal, Dasmahapatra reportedly told reporters that the wood was leftover from the sacred trees collected under the guidance of Devi Mangala of Kakatpur. But after an adverse reaction in Odisha, Dasmahapatra denied having made the claim at a news conference convened in Puri on Friday. He said the video clips of his statement were 'morphed or intentionally edited.' The idols for the Digha temple, he said in Puri, were made from ordinary neem wood and said he was invited to perform rituals at the temple by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, whom he described as a disciple. The Jagannth temple in Digha, constructed by the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO) on a 24-acre coastal site, mirrors Puri's temple in design, and stands at 213 feet—nearly identical to Puri's 214-foot height. There is concern in Odisha that the Digha temple, backed by Banerjee's government, could threaten Puri's tourism-driven economy. The naming of the temple as 'Jagannath Dham' and its promotion as a cultural and religious hub have fuelled fears that it could divert pilgrims from Puri. Except former Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, other BJP leaders stayed away from the consecration of the temple in Digha while Banerjee camped in the district for the event. On Friday, Trinmool Congress (TMC) also hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ministers in Odisha, accusing them of trying to malign Bengal's efforts to build a Hindu temple. 'The BJP calls itself a Hindutva party but tries to tarnish a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath. This exposes their hypocrisy,' said TMC spokesman Jay Prakash Majumdar, framing the temple as a cultural milestone rather than a rival to Puri. He said the BJP's criticism reflects frustration over their inability to counter Banerjee's initiatives. The Odisha government and Puri's servitor community said the alleged use of sacred wood and the temple's 'Jagannath Dham' branding was an affront to Puri's unique spiritual and cultural identity. Several Nijogs (servitor associations) in Puri had previously barred members from participating in Digha's rituals. But Dasmahapatra still went, despite being the secretary of a Nijog, and has drawn sharp criticism. Senior Daitapati Binayak Dasmahapatra questioned how Ramakrushna could access the securely stored Daru, while former Nijog chief Durga Charan Dasmahapatra condemned his actions, promising a discussion at the next Nijog meeting. On Thursday, sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik expressed his concerns about Digha being called Jgannath Dham. In a letter to Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Pattnaik said the statement had hurt sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees. '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,' he said.
