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India Today
13-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Why BJP says Mamata's Digha temple an affront to Jagannath Puri
The BJP has seized the controversy surrounding the newly constructed Digha Jagannath Dham to sharpen its attack on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of desecrating sacred traditions and encroaching upon Odisha's religious suspension of senior servitor Ramakrushna Das Mahapatra by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri, has been used by the party to launch a larger narrative of cultural appropriation and spiritual misconduct by the Mamata May 11, SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee announced that Daitapati Sevak Ramakrushna Das Mahapatra had been suspended for 309 days and barred from entering the 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri. This followed accusations that he had played a central role in the consecration of the new Jagannath Temple in Digha on April 29-30 and provided surplus Nabakalebar wood—used for making the sacred idols for the Puri shrine—for the construction of the deities for being served two show-cause notices on May 4 and May 9, Mahapatra was found to have acted against established temple norms and made it clear that the action was intended to enforce discipline and preserve the dignity of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath's shrine. 'Pride and arrogance must not tarnish our service to the Lord. Our devotion must be reflected in our respect for the sanctity of the temple's customs,' he The BJP, quick to capitalise on the development, turned its criticism directly towards Mamata. Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the Opposition in the Bengal legislative assembly, described the servitor's suspension as a 'necessary and welcome action' that reaffirmed the supremacy of the Puri temple's traditions. Adhikari accused Mamata of orchestrating a 'misleading and unauthorised' replication of Puri's sacred rituals at the Digha temple, using state patronage to project the site as a rival pilgrimage destination.'This was not just symbolic imitation—it was an audacious cultural transgression. The local administration, under Mamata's direction, tried to portray Digha as the new Jagannath Dham. This affront has wounded the sentiments of crores of Sanatani devotees,' Adhikari said, insisting that the servitor's collusion in the project demonstrated how religious institutions were being misused for political Malviya, national head of the BJP's IT Cell, echoed the sentiment, alleging that Mamata had offended Hindu religious sensibilities by politicising a deeply revered tradition. 'Devotees of Prabhu Jagannath are dismayed. This is a calculated affront designed to confuse and divide devotees while undermining Odisha's spiritual heritage,' he wrote on social the mounting political pressure, the Shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Nishchalananda Saraswati, made a subtle but significant intervention. He reiterated that only the temple in Puri holds the rightful recognition as 'Jagannath Dham'. While he did not name any individual or refer explicitly to Digha, the context of his remarks left little ambiguity as to whom these were aimed Mamata has come out forcefully in defence of her government's actions and the Digha temple initiative. Speaking at a recent public event in Murshidabad, she dismissed the BJP's accusations as slanderous and politically motivated. 'They said I have stolen wood from Jagannath Temple. Why should I? We have plenty of neem trees in Bengal. Even at my residence, there are four neem trees. At Digha's Jagannath temple, 500 trees have been planted, and another 100 will be planted. We do not want anyone's alms,' Mamata indignant, the chief minister continued: 'We are not beggars, not pickpockets. We are the custodians and not thieves. I constructed such a beautiful temple, which is one of the wonders in the world, and they are alleging that I have stolen neem wood? Prove it—or else the people will give a befitting reply in the coming days.'Despite the uproar, it is undeniable that the inauguration of the Jagannath Temple in Digha was received with significant enthusiasm in Bengal. The complex, designed with architectural grandeur and spiritual symbolism, drew thousands of devotees and was hailed by many as a remarkable addition to the state's cultural and religious landscape. For a considerable segment of the population, particularly those in coastal and southern Bengal, the temple has become a source of pride and a spiritual destination in its own this very success is now being wielded by the BJP as proof of Mamata's alleged attempt to create a parallel pilgrimage centre. The party is framing the Digha temple project as an act of religious overreach seeking to appropriate the identity of Puri's sacred dham for political optics in West Odisha, too, the move has struck a nerve. There is widespread sentiment that the sanctity and exclusivity of Puri's Jagannath tradition must be preserved, and any attempt to replicate or reinterpret it outside established bounds is seen as sacrilegious. The BJP's response, in this context, reflects both a defence of regional spiritual heritage and an opportunity to assert ideological dominance over religious the controversy unfolds, it has become clear that what began as a temple inauguration has now escalated into a political-cultural fault line, pitting Bengal's assertion of religious autonomy against Odisha's spiritual guardianship, with the BJP at the centre of the confrontation, attempting to nationalise what was once a regional religious to India Today Magazine
Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Row over idols at Digha Jagannath Dham: After Mamata says no wood stolen from Puri, Odisha minister concurs
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hit out at the Odisha government over alleged attacks on Bengali migrant workers in the neighbouring state in the wake of the controversy over the Digha 'Jagannath Dham' and rejected the allegations of theft of sacred neem wood from the 12th-century Puri Jagannath shrine for making idols at the newly built temple. Hours later, Odisha's law minister Prithviraj Harichandan clarified that the idols at Digha's Jagannath Temple have not been crafted from the leftover woods of Nabakalebar rituals. Speaking to mediapersons after meeting MPs and MLAs during her visit to the violence-hit Murshidabad district, the CM said, 'The Jagannath Dham has badly affected you (Odisha government). Hasn't it? It is being said I even stole neem wood. I have four neem trees in my house. The mother of thieves shouts more… Mamata Banerjee doesn't need to steal from anywhere. Our deity is made of marble. Is it a crime to worship Lord Jagannath in West Bengal? They should know that one can even buy a Jagannath idol.' Also Read | 'I don't need to steal': Mamata Banerjee on Jagannath Temple row, accuses Odisha of 'targeting' migrants from Bengal Dismissing claims that the Bengal government used wood from the Puri shrine, Banerjee said, 'Daitapati (senior servitor at Puri temple) brought it, not from where they are claiming. I heard he was called yesterday and he simply told them the allegations were false. I heard that he was questioned why he even came here.' Her remarks came a day after the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri questioned a senior servitor over the alleged use of surplus sacred wood meant for the 12th-century Puri shrine in crafting idols for the Digha temple. According to officials, Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, secretary of the influential 'Daitapati Nijog', a body of servitors traditionally considered the bodyguards of Lord Jagannath, was summoned for questioning. Dasmohapatra had reportedly supervised the consecration ceremony of the Digha temple held on April 30, which was attended by Banerjee herself. Nearly 56 servitors from the Puri temple had participated in the ceremony in Digha, raising eyebrows among temple authorities and drawing criticism from some quarters in Odisha. On Monday, the Odisha minister said: 'The carpenter servitor confirmed that it's not possible to craft idols of 2.5 feet height from the leftover woods of Nabakalebar rituals. The idols taken by Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, who participated in the inaugural ceremony of Digha temple, were made by a carpenter in Bhubaneswar.' Objecting to the use of word Dham (seat) by the West Bengal government for Digha Jagannath Temple, Harichandan said the Odisha government will write to the West Bengal government to not use the word Dham for the new shrine. He said there are only four dhams according to Hinduism. Meanwhile, Banerjee further questioned Odisha government's stance, highlighting Bengal's 'support' to the neighboring state during the crisis. 'Why is there so much jealousy over Jagannath Dham? When you face electricity shortage, Bengal arranges it. I love Odisha. When, during a cyclone, all your electricity wires get damaged, you ask for help from our engineers. Despite the fact that we were also affected by the cyclone, we sent them. A large number of tourists from Bengal visit Odisha, particularly Puri. Our tourists keep visiting their state throughout the year. What is your problem if we have one Jagannath Dham? You stay happy and let Bengal also stay happy.' Banerjee also raised concern over the alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking people in Odisha and other states. 'Why are you targeting and beating up Bengali-speaking people? I have come to know that in Odisha, people are being beaten up for speaking in Bengali. Similar things happened even in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.' 'You are targeting our workers for speaking in Bengali, but we will not do this. That is the difference between you and us. We have 1.5 crore migrant labourers from different states in Bengal,' she added. 'Jealousy has no cure. I do not want any misunderstanding with anyone. Our Chief Secretary is writing a letter to the Bihar, Rajasthan, and Odisha governments. Our DGP has most likely spoken to his Odisha counterpart. May good sense prevail,' she said. The Digha temple project, backed by the West Bengal government, has been pitched as a major tourism and religious hub on the Bay of Bengal coast and is seen by many as a cultural counter-narrative to Puri's famed temple, one of the holiest shrines in the Hindu religion.
News18
05-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Servitor Issued Notice Over Use Of Puri Jagannath Temple's Sacred Wood To Make Digha Idols
Last Updated: Trouble started for Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra when he told some media channels that he had taken surplus neem wood from the 2015 Nabakalebar rituals at Puri Jagannath to Digha Puri's Shree Jagannath Temple administration has served a show-cause notice to a senior servitor over allegedly using the shrine's surplus sacred wood in crafting idols in a temple at Digha in neighbouring West Bengal. Servitor 'Daitapati Nijog' secretary Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra has been asked to submit his reply within seven days. The notice added that if a satisfactory explanation is not received within the specified period, Dasmohapatra will face disciplinary action as per the Shree Jagannath Temple Act-1955. Trouble started for Dasmohapatra when he reportedly told some media channels in West Bengal that he had taken the surplus neem wood from the 2015 Nabakalebar rituals at Puri Jagannath temple to Digha for construction of idols. However, he later denied making the claims. 'This is a false report. I have never told this to any news channel. My statements might have been morphed or intentionally edited. I just told the media that neem wood idols were consecrated at the newly built temple at Digha," he said. Amid a row over the West Bengal government's portrayal of the Digha temple as 'Jagannath Dham' and alleged use of Puri shrine's surplus wood in the construction of idols there, Odisha's law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on May 2 asked the SJTA to inquire into the matter. 'Nabakalebara' is a ritual held every 12 or 19 years, during which the wooden bodies of idols—Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath—are changed at the Puri temple. Dasmohapatra, who is known as Rajesh Daitapati in West Bengal, was also asked questions like who keeps the keys of the 'Daru Gruha", the store room in the Puri temple where sacred wood are kept, and whether 'Brahma' installation was made at Digha temple. 'Brahma' is a material considered to be the soul of Lord Jagannath, which is transferred from the old idol to a new one during the 'Nabakalebara' ritual. (With agency inputs) First Published: May 05, 2025, 12:42 IST
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.
Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Puri servitor gets show-cause notice over comments made during Digha Jagannath Temple inauguration
The Puri Jagannath Temple's administration has issued a show cause notice to a servitor, who participated in the inaugural ceremony of the new Jagannath Temple in West Bengal's Digha, asking him to explain his statements on using leftover wood from a sacred ritual for idols in the new shrine. The Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has asked Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra to respond to the notice in seven days, failing which strict disciplinary action will be initiated as per the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955. The notice issued by SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said there were allegations regarding Dasmohapatra's interview to a section of the media during the Digha temple's inaugural ceremony in which the senior servitor claimed that he provided idols for the new shrine that were made from the leftover wood from the Nabakalebar rituals held in 2015. Dasmohapatra later allegedly contradicted his statement, saying the idols for the new shrine were not made of the leftover wood from Nabakalebar rituals. He said he supervised the crafting of the idols for the Digha Temple. Nabakalebar is a sacred ritual of Lord Jagannath, in which the old wooden idols of sibling deities are replaced with new ones. The idols are made of neem wood. The Nabakalebar ritual is performed at an interval of 12 or 19 years, coinciding with astronomical considerations. It has been alleged that the contradictory statements created confusion among devotees of Lord Jagannath and tarnished the dignity of the 12th-century Puri Jagannath Temple. As per rituals, the leftover wood collected during the Nabakalebar are preserved in the Darrughar (wood storage) of the Puri temple and is meant only to be used for the needs of Lord Jagannath at the appropriate time. The show cause notice alleged that despite being a senior servitor and being fully aware of the rules, he created confusion among the minds of Jagannath devotees.
