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The Print
2 days ago
- General
- The Print
Lakhs congregate in Puri to witness Lord Jagannath's bathing rituals
The deities are bathed on the 'Snana Mandap' (bathing altar), the elevated pedestal facing the Grand Road where devotees get the opportunity to witness the bathing rituals, they said. On the occasion, three deities – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra – were brought to the 'Snana Mandap' (bathing altar) with ceremonial 'pahandi' (procession), officials of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said. Puri, Jun 11 (PTI) Lakhs of devotees, including Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and other dignitaries, gathered here on Wednesday to witness Lord Jagannath's ceremonial bathing rituals, held in an open pandal on the premises of the 12th-century temple. 'Shree Sudarshan was first brought out of the shrine and taken to the bathing altar at 5.45 am. After that, idols of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath were taken to the bathing altar,' an official said. The 'Pahandi ritual' was completed by 8.55 am, he said. Accompanied by Puri MP Sambit Patra, the chief minister entered the temple through the 'Uttara Dwara' (northern gate) and witnessed the morning prayers and the ceremonial procession of the deities, another official said. The festival, known as Deva Snana Purnima, takes place on the full moon day in the month of Jyestha, and this is the first occasion in a year when the wooden idols are brought out of the sanctum sanctorum in a procession and placed on the 'Snana Mandap' for the bathing rituals. It is also considered the birthday of Lord Jagannath. Amid chanting of Vedic mantra, altogether 108 pitchers of 'sacred water' from the 'Sunakua' (golden well), located on the temple premises, will be poured on the idols around 12.20 pm on Wednesday, another official said. Soon after Puri titular king Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb would perform ceremonial sweeping of the 'Snana Mandap' around 3.30 pm, the deities will be adorned with 'Gaja Vesha' (attire of elephant God), he said. 'Sahan Mela' or public darshan will be allowed from 7.30 pm, the temple calendar said. The deities will be taken to the 12th-century shrine and remain in 'Anasara Ghar' (isolation room) for 14 days as they fall ill after having the bath. The temple 'Baidya' (physician) would treat them with herbal medicines, and public 'darshan' of the deities will remain closed till 'Nabajouban darshan' till June 26, a day prior to the annual Rath Yatra on June 27. PTI AAM On the occasion, security has been tightened in Puri with deployment of 70 platoons (1 platoon comprises 30 personnel) of force and 450 officers, said SP Vinīt Agarwal. 'We expect a congregation of lakhs of devotees on the day and have made elaborate arrangements for crowd management, traffic regulation and ground control. The forces are deployed inside and outside the temple and at the seaside,' the SP said. The SP said that barricades have been erected to manage the smooth movement of devotees during the ceremonial bathing of the deities. 'For the first time, the police are using the AI-based surveillance cameras, linked to a new integrated control room, for real-time monitoring,' he added. PTI AAM AAM BDC This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Odisha govt clarifies no timber from Puri's Jagannath shrine used in Digha temple
The Odisha government on Monday (May 5, 2025) said surplus sacred timber used in sculpting the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra was not sourced from the Puri Jagannath Temple. For the past few days, a controversy has been simmering over allegations that surplus sacred timber from the Jagannath Temple in Puri was used to carve idols for the new Jagannath Temple in Digha. The issue has drawn strong objections from intellectuals, religious leaders, and devotees alike. Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan clarified that no surplus timber from the Puri temple was used elsewhere. He cited findings from an investigation conducted by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, which found no evidence to support the allegation. The controversy began after Ramakrishna Dasmohapatra, a prominent sevayat (traditional priest) of the Puri temple, claimed in an interview with a Bengali TV channel that timber not used during the Nabakalebara ritual had been sent to Digha. Also read | Servitor served notice over 'use' of Puri Jagannath temple sacred wood to make idols in Digha shrine However, Mr. Harichandan said that Maharana Sevaks — responsible for crafting the idols during Nabakalebara —categorically denied that any leftover timber had been transported elsewhere. Sudarshan Maharana, who sculpted the idols for the Digha temple, also confirmed that the wood used did not come from Puri. 'Mr. Dasmohapatra later told the investigating team that his statement was a slip of the tongue,' the minister added. The Minister said the State government would formally request the West Bengal government to drop the name 'Jagannath Dham' for the newly built temple in Digha. Devotees have objected to the use of the term 'Dham', pointing out that, in Hindu tradition, there are only four major religious centres referred to as Dhams, with Puri being one of them. Also read | Devotees, priests from Odisha demand removal of 'Jagannath Dham' label from Digha temple There are reports suggesting that the West Bengal government has already removed the word Dham from official references to the Digha temple. It is to be noted that over 50 sevayats from Puri had attended the consecration ceremony of the Digha Jagannath temple, which has been constructed at an estimated cost of ₹250 crore.
India Today
28-04-2025
- General
- India Today
As Mamata's Digha Jagannath Temple blooms, why questions are being asked
The coastal town of Digha in West Bengal is poised to witness a momentous occasion with the inauguration of the grand Jagannath Dham temple complex on April over 24 acres and inspired by the iconic 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri, the Digha temple is a significant addition to the religious and cultural landscape of Bengal, symbolising both devotion and architectural temple complex comprises four key components: the Vimana (Garbha Griha or sanctum sanctorum), the Jagamohan (assembly hall), the Nat Mandir (dancing hall) and the Bhog Mandap (offering hall), all echoing the classic elements of Vedic temple heavily from the ancient Kalinga architecture style, the structure stays true to traditional proportions, with the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra enshrined atop the sacred Ratnabedi, mirroring the arrangements at Puri. Constructed using more than 300,000 cubic feet of Bansi Paharpur pink sandstone, the temple stands as a testament to meticulous craftsmanship. Over 3,000 workers toiled for 36 months to complete the construction. The sprawling campus is further adorned with extensive theme lawns and over 500 newly planted trees, enhancing its idols at Digha differ slightly from those at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. While the Lords in Puri are fashioned from neem wood and have come to be known as 'Darubrahma', or the wooden Lords, those in Digha have been sculpted from wooden version of the deities, however, will also exist and be ceremonially paraded during the annual Rath Yatra. Notably, an older Jagannath Temple in Digha is being developed into the 'Maasir Bari' (aunt's house of the Lord), where the raths will conclude their journey during yatra consecration ceremonies at Digha commence on April 29 with ritualistic yajnas, culminating in the prana pratistha of the deities on April 30. Servitors from the Puri Jagannath Temple as well as priests from ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) will participate in the sacred journey towards this grand temple began rather serendipitously. On December 6, 2018, while taking a stroll from Old Digha to New Digha, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee noticed the modest local Jagannath Temple. Struck by inspiration, she immediately announced the construction of a new temple in Digha, modelled after the famous edifice in Puri. Nearly six years and an investment of approximately Rs 250 crore later, her vision has come to political watchers, the Digha temple could be a great electoral pitch for the ruling Trinamool Congress as it is up against a massive BJP attempt at Hindu consolidation in the run-up to assembly polls next year. Amidst the festivities, questions from the BJP have emerged, particularly from Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Raising concerns over the management and characterisation of the project, he has posed several pointed queries on social will gladly attend the ceremony,' Adhikari stated, 'if the following concerns are addressed by you.' His post was directed to retired bureaucrat H.K. Dwivedi, who now serves as vice-chairman of the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO), the state agency that developed the Digha sought clarification on whether the structure being inaugurated is a temple or a cultural centre, as the official tender documents describe the project as Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra. 'You must reprint the invitation card with proper clarity,' Adhikari insisted, questioning the nature of the also raised governance concerns, pointing out inconsistencies regarding WBHIDCO. He noted that the invitation was extended to him by the vice-chairman of WBHIDCO but highlighted that its website still lists Firhad Hakim as the chairman. 'Why isn't his name printed on the invitation card?' Adhikari asked, demanding transparency about the current administrative head and their role in the also questioned the handling of donations to the temple. 'Will it be considered temple property or WBHIDCO's source of income from the cultural centre?' he queried, highlighting concerns about the sanctity and financial autonomy of the religious also brought up sensitive issues regarding recruitment and access. He questioned whether non-Hindus would be appointed to work at the temple complex given that WBHIDCO, a government-run public sector undertaking, cannot discriminate based on religion. Moreover, he sought clarity on whether the temple would emulate Puri's traditional restriction on the entry of his apprehensions, Adhikari warned: 'Otherwise it will be proved that you and your state government are just playing with the faith of crores of Hindus by using deception, duplicity and treachery as public policy.'While the state government's initiative has undeniably added a magnificent religious landmark to Digha, the unfolding controversy underscores the complex interplay between faith, governance and politics in contemporary Bengal. As devotees prepare to celebrate the dawn of a new sacred space, the demands for clarity and accountability will continue to shape the broader narrative around the Jagannath Dham to India Today Magazine
