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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Amid name row with Bengal, Odisha launches ‘Jagannath Dham' app for Puri shrine visitors
Bhubaneswar: Govt on Friday launched an official mobile application titled 'Shree Jagannatha Dham' for the Jagannath Temple, a move that comes amid the ongoing debate over the Digha shrine's nomenclature. "The application provides information about ritual schedules, queue waiting duration, Rath Yatra preparations and other special events. Additional functionalities are being developed and will be added in future updates," Puri district collector Siddharth Shankar Swain told TOI. He explained that selecting 'Jagannath Dham' as the application's name reflects the sentiments of Jagannath devotees, who consider Puri as the original 'Jagannath dham' among the 'char dhams' in India. "The application's name was chosen because Puri represents the genuine Jagannath dham," Swain said. A controversy had erupted on April 30 when West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had designated the newly-constructed Jagannath Temple in Digha as 'Jagannath Dham', drawing sharp criticism from various quarters, particularly from Odisha. Regarding the timing of the launch, he highlighted the upcoming Rath Yatra celebration on June 27. According to the district collector, the application will continue to operate beyond Rath Yatra festival, with additional features planned specifically for the event. Users can locate public facilities, temples and navigate different routes to their desired destinations. "During other times, the application will serve as a tourist guide in Puri, providing information about daily ritual timings, darshan schedules, Mahaprasad availability, and donation procedures at the shrine. Users can also find nearby religious sites, accommodation options and other facilities through the application. We will include a grievance redressal feature soon," Swain said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
India Today
28-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Why Odisha govt wants to trademark Jagannath terminologies
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is likely to find some political satisfaction in the Odisha government's move to secure trademark rights over key religious terms associated with the revered Jagannath Temple in Puri. The decision comes on the heels of a sharp controversy over the naming of a new temple in West Bengal's Digha as Jagannath Dham—a row that Adhikari, who is leader of the Opposition in the Bengal legislative assembly, had vocally amplified, accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of 'cultural appropriation'.In a significant cultural and legal counter-move, the Mohan Charan Majhi-led BJP government in Odisha has formally initiated steps to trademark a cluster of terms intrinsically tied to Jagannath worship and the spiritual geography of Puri. These include 'Jagannath Dham', 'Shree Mandira', 'Purushottam Kshetra', 'Neelachal Dham', 'Bada Danda', 'Mahaprasad' and 'Neela Chakra'.advertisementThe development not only strengthens Odisha's cultural sovereignty over the Jagannath tradition but also raises the possibility of legal friction with the Bengal government, which has thus far remained silent on Odisha's Padhee, chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), confirmed the decision and said the process of finalising the list of protected terms was underway. 'Once we obtain trademark rights, any unauthorised use of these expressions will be legally actionable,' he stated. According to Padhee, these names were not mere labels but sacred expressions deeply embedded in the liturgy, history and ritual fabric of the Jagannath tradition, many of them traceable to ancient Hindu trigger was the inauguration last month of the Digha Jagannath temple by Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who described the site as 'Jagannath Dham'. This provoked sharp reactions in Odisha, with the state accusing Bengal of diminishing the religious and cultural sanctity of the original Jagannath Dham in Puri—one of the 'Char Dhams' in use of 'Jagannath Dham' in any context other than Puri undermines centuries of sacred tradition,' said an official from what may be viewed as both a religious and political escalation, Majhi had written to Mamata, seeking an explanation and urging restraint. In fact, one of the servitors from the Puri temple, who had led the consecration rituals in Digha, and was also accused of supplying unused wood from Nabakalebar for the deities in the new temple, was move to trademark temple terminology is now being steered through the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Union ministry of commerce and industry. The SJTA is compiling archival documents, historical records and scriptural evidence to support their application, which aims to protect the exclusivity of the Jagannath tradition from unauthorised usage or plan has won the support of Odisha's religious scholars, cultural historians and even the titular Maharaj of Puri, Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb, who chairs the Jagannath Temple Managing parallel with this cultural assertion, preparations for the grand Rath Yatra, scheduled for June 27, are on in full swing. At a high-level meeting of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, several operational decisions were taken to ensure the smooth execution of the annual chariot festival. These included the formation of dedicated 'Pahandi Dalas' (teams responsible for carrying idols onto the chariots), the enforcement of restrictions on non-servitors accessing chariots, and a complete ban on mobile phones atop the committee also reviewed security measures around the sacred Ratna Bhandar (the temple's treasury), and debated the relocation of the donation box (Hundi) to prevent crowding within the sanctum sanctorum. Furthermore, a proposal will be sent to the urban development department to limit the height of buildings around the Shree Mandir and Gundicha Temple, aiming to preserve ritual purity and visual the Rath Yatra approaching, emotions around Lord Jagannath and his place in India's spiritual landscape are running high. Odisha's decision to trademark sacred terminology is not merely about legal protection; it is an assertion of identity in the face of what is seen as cultural overreach by a neighbouring state. The controversy has also offered Adhikari a potent narrative—one that allows him to accuse the Bengal government of not just political opportunism but of desecrating centuries-old spiritual to India Today MagazineTrending Reel advertisement
News18
18-05-2025
- General
- News18
Family Eating Jagannath Mahaprasad On Table Sparks Row; Puri Temple Authorities Issue Appeal
Last Updated: Considering local sentiments and religious beliefs, the temple authorities have also instructed hotels in Puri to caution their guests against such practices. A family of 10 sparked controversy by eating Mahaprasad from the Jagannath shrine in Odisha's Puri on a dining table, prompting temple authorities to issue an appeal to devotees. Mahaprasad is the sacred food offered to Lord Jagannath, the deity of the 12th-century temple, and has traditionally been served and consumed while sitting on the ground. The family members, including children and elderly individuals, were seen seated at a dining table in a beach resort in Puri as a priest served them the Mahaprasad. After a man confronted the family, a woman insisted they had inquired beforehand before choosing to eat at the table. The video then shows the man turning to the priest and demanding to know why he permitted it. ଭିଡ଼ିଓ ରେ ଦେଖନ୍ତୁ ସେ ହୋଟେଲର କର୍ମଚାରୀ ମନା କରିବା ସତ୍ତ୍ବେ ସେମାନେ କିପରି ଡାଇନିଂ ଟେବୁଲ ଉପେର ମହାପ୍ରସାଦ ବାଢ଼ି ଗୋଡ଼ ହଲେଇ ମୋବାଇଲ ଚଲାଇ ପାଉଛନ୍ତି..ଆଉ ତହୁଁ ବଡ଼ ସେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ମହାଶୟ ଯିଏ ମହାପ୍ରସାଦ ତାଙ୍କୁ ବାଢ଼ିକି ଦେଇଛନ୍ତି।ଆଉ ସେ ଦାଢ଼ିଆ ବାବା ସବୁ ଦେଖି ମଧ୍ଯ ଚୁପ ହୋଇ ଠିଆ ହୋଇଛନ୍ତି।ଦୋଷ କାହାକୁ ଦେବେ? — 🦋šrαdhα🦋 (@princess_sradha) May 16, 2025 Temple Authorities Step In The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said that it was aware of the video showing a family eating the Mahaprasad on the table, which was against tradition and had evoked a 'reaction" from the devotees. They stated that eating Mahaprasad at the table goes against tradition and urged devotees to uphold the temple's centuries-old customs by eating it on the floor. 'It is clarified from the side of the temple that the divine Mahaprasad of the Lord is worshiped in the form of Annabrahma. The ritual tradition of eating Mahaprasad sitting on the ground has existed since time immemorial. Therefore, all devotees are humbly requested to refrain from activities that are against the tradition, like eating Mahaprasad at the dining table," the statement read. — Shree Jagannatha Temple Office, Puri (@SJTA_Puri) May 17, 2025 Considering local sentiments and religious beliefs, the temple authorities have also instructed hotels in Puri to caution their guests against such practices. First Published: May 18, 2025, 12:38 IST
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Puri Jagannath temple urges devotees not to consume 'Mahaprasad' on dining tables
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Saturday (May 18, 2025) appealed to devotees to show the highest respect to 'Mahaprasad', the sacred cooked offering to Lord Jagannath, and to refrain from consuming it while seated at dining tables. The appeal follows reports and social media showing people eating the 'Mahaprasad' in a hotel in Puri while seated at tables and wearing shoes — an act the SJTA described as "against the age-old traditions of Sri Mandir." Stating that Lord Jagannath's 'Mahaprasad' is highly sacred and considered as "Anna Brahma" (rice soul), the SJTA said in accordance with tradition, devotees should consume the cooked 'bhog' by sitting on the floor with gratitude. "Mahaprasad holds immense religious significance and must be treated with the utmost reverence," the administration emphasised. "Eating it on a dining table is considered disrespectful to the divine offering and contradicts the spiritual customs associated with it," they added. In its advisory, the SJTA also called upon hotels, restaurants and eateries in Puri to discourage such practices and educate visitors on the proper way to consume the 'Mahaprasad'. Establishments were urged to inform guests of its religious importance and the traditional manner of partaking in the sacred food. The administration said the photo and video of some people taking the 'Mahaprasad' while sitting on a dining table had hurt the religious sentiments of scores of devotees.
NDTV
18-05-2025
- General
- NDTV
Viral Video Of Jagannath Temple Mahaprasad Being Eaten On Table Sparks Row
Puri: A video of a family eating the Mahaprasad from Puri's Jagannath shrine, on the dining table, has stoked a controversy in Odisha. The Mahaprasad is the holy food offered to Lord Jagannath, the deity of the 12th-century temple, and has been traditionally served and eaten while sitting on the ground. At least 10 family members, including children, were seen at the dining table at a beach resort in Puri while a priest was serving them the Mahaprasad. When a man confronted them, a woman asserted that they had asked around before deciding to eat at the table. The unidentified man then turned to the priest and demanded to know why he allowed it, the video showed. ଭିଡ଼ିଓ ରେ ଦେଖନ୍ତୁ ସେ ହୋଟେଲର କର୍ମଚାରୀ ମନା କରିବା ସତ୍ତ୍ବେ ସେମାନେ କିପରି ଡାଇନିଂ ଟେବୁଲ ଉପେର ମହାପ୍ରସାଦ ବାଢ଼ି ଗୋଡ଼ ହଲେଇ ମୋବାଇଲ ଚଲାଇ ପାଉଛନ୍ତି..ଆଉ ତହୁଁ ବଡ଼ ସେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ମହାଶୟ ଯିଏ ମହାପ୍ରସାଦ ତାଙ୍କୁ ବାଢ଼ିକି ଦେଇଛନ୍ତି।ଆଉ ସେ ଦାଢ଼ିଆ ବାବା ସବୁ ଦେଖି ମଧ୍ଯ ଚୁପ ହୋଇ ଠିଆ ହୋଇଛନ୍ତି।ଦୋଷ କାହାକୁ ଦେବେ? — 🦋šrαdhα🦋 (@princess_sradha) May 16, 2025 With the video going viral and concerns being raised among the Jagannath devotees, the temple authorities issued a statement stating that it was against tradition to eat the Mahaprasad at the table. The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said that it was aware of the picture showing Mahaprasad being eaten on the table, which was against tradition and had evoked a "reaction" from the devotees. — Shree Jagannatha Temple Office, Puri (@SJTA_Puri) May 17, 2025 The Mahaprasad is divine and must be eaten while sitting on the ground, said the SJTA, requesting devotees to maintain the temple's centuries-old traditions. "It is clarified from the side of the temple that the divine Mahaprasad of the Lord is worshiped in the form of Annabrahma. The ritual tradition of eating Mahaprasad sitting on the ground has existed since time immemorial. Therefore, all devotees are humbly requested to refrain from the activities that are against the tradition, like eating Mahaprasad at the dining table," the statement said. In view of the local sentiments and religious beliefs, the temple authorities have also asked hotels in Puri to warn their guests against such activities.
