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NDTV
06-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Use Of 'Dham' In Bengal Jagannath Temple's Name Triggers Mamata-BJP Clash
Kolkata: Servitors of the Puri Jagannath temple are protesting the use of 'dham in the name of a newly-inaugurated Jagannath temple in West Bengal's Digha, apart from replicating rituals. Servitors' groups like the Suar Mahasuar Nijog (which prepares the bhog) and the Puspalaka Nijog (which dresses the deities) have asked their members not to participate in rituals at the temple in Digha. Daitapati Bhabani, part of the group of servitors considered bodyguards of Lord Jagannath, told NDTV, "If we talk about Dham, there are four dhams - Badrinath, Dwarka, Rameshwaram and Puri Jagannath. There is no other dham apart from this. What is there in Digha is a Jagannath temple. We want Mahaprabhu Jagannath to reside across the world in every home and promoting his name is our responsibility. But the use of dham is not right." Puri is also the seat of the Govardhana Matha, one of the four cardinal mathas created by Adi Shankaracharya. The 'pran pratishtha' or consecration ceremony of the temple in Digha was held on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya on April 30 and it was attended by a senior servitor or daitapati of the Puri temple Ramakrishna Das Mohapatra. The new temple at Digha has been built at a cost of Rs 250 crore. Reacting to the controversy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she respects both the temples. "I have heard that the Daitapati has been questioned for coming to conduct the puja here. They have issued a notification asking them not to come to Jagannath Dham (in West Bengal). Why are they so irked? We all go to Puri. We never question. When I go to Puri, the BJP protests. Why so much jealousy over the Jagannath Dham? When you fall short of potatoes, Bengal supplies. I love Odisha." The BJP, which has been targeting the Trinamool Congress on the issue, said the state government was forced to remove the misleading 'Dham' signage in Digha, calling it a "significant victory for Hindu unity". "After strong protests from devotees of Lord Jagannath, the West Bengal government was forced to quietly remove the misleading 'Dham' signage in Digha. This is a significant victory for Hindu unity and a setback to Mamata Banerjee's divisive agenda. When Hindus stand united, no political manipulation can succeed. Jai Jagannath!" BJP's IT Cell Chief and West Bengal Co-in Charge Amit Malviya said. The West Bengal Police said the BJP's claim is blatantly false. In a post on X, the police said, "Rumours are being spread from certain corners that under pressure from various groups, Government of West Bengal has removed different signage's of Shri Digha Jagannath Dham." "We would request devotees to not get misled by false propaganda by people of vested interests. Strict legal action will be taken against rumour mongers and fake news peddlers," the police added.
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Two groups of Puri servitors ask members to stay away from Digha Jagannath temple rituals
Puri, Two major associations of servitors of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri on Tuesday asked its members not to take part in the inaugural rituals at the newly-constructed shrine in West Bengal's Digha. The consecration ceremony of the Jagannath temple in the seaside town of Digha will be held on the auspicious occasion of the 'Akshay Trithiya' on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Digha temple, built by the West Bengal government, is a replica of the shrine in Puri, located around 350 km away. It has been built on a 24-acre plot at a cost of nearly ₹250 crore. The Suar Mahasuar Nijog and Puspalaka Nijog have asked their members to stay away from the consecration ceremony or face a boycott at the Puri temple. While members of the Suar Mahasuar Nijog prepare food at the Puri temple, the Puspalak Nijog members decorate the sibling deities of Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. "We welcome the new Jagannath temple in Digha. There is no bar on servitors visiting the Digha temple, but they cannot cook there," said Padmanava Mahasuar, the president of the Suar Mahasuar Nijog. He said there are hundreds of Jagannath temples across the country, but the rituals of the shrine in Puri are based on scriptures. "The Puri temple is mentioned in mythology because Lord Vishnu have food here. Therefore, the 'Suars' and 'Mahasuars' have a special place in the shrine. They are not mere cook, but blessed ones dedicated to the service of the Lord," he said. "They should not cook in other places like catering services," he added. Cautioning its members against participating in rituals at the Digha temple, Puspalaka Nijog's secretary Harekrushna Singhari said, "Any member found defying the order will face strict action." Sudarshan Pujapanda, who performs pujas at the Puri temple, also denounced the idea of servitors performing rituals at the Digha temple. "We should uphold the pride of being the servitors of Shree Jagannath Dham. The servitors here are not on anyone's payroll, but are dedicated to the service of the lord. They perform rituals as part of devotion and dedication to the Maha Vishnu, who is worshipped in the form of Lord Jagannath," he said. Speaking to PTI over the phone, Rajesh Daitapati of the Daitapati Nijog said, "About 50 servitors from Puri have gone to Digha on the invitation of the Digha Jagannath Temple's trust board. They will take part in the inauguration of the temple." However, he did not clarify if any members of the Suar Mahasuar and Pushpalak Nijogs had gone to Digha. Daitapati Nijog is responsible for some rituals during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri. Among them is carrying the idols of the deities to their chariots. A senior official of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration said, "If some servitors are going to perform rituals in Digha, it is their conscience. The administration has no role in interfering with the procedures of other temples. Our priority is to maintain age-old rituals in Puri." Lakhs of devotees from West Bengal visit the Jagannath temple in Puri every year. The day-to-day activities of the Digha temple will be managed by ISKCON.
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Puri Jagannath temple servitors warned against taking part in Digha temple inauguration
With West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee scheduled to inaugurate a Jagannath Temple at Digha on Wednesday, various servitors' groups of the Puri Jagannath Temple opposed the move and warned its members against participating in the rituals. The Puri servitors' groups, like the Suar Mahasuar Nijog that prepares the food offerings (bhog) and the Puspalaka Nijog that dresses the deities, have put notices around the Puri temple warning servitors not to participate in the performance of any rituals of the Digha Jagannath Temple. 'We welcome the inauguration of the Jagannath Temple at Digha. There are many Jagannath temples across the world, but the rituals of the original temple, which are performed as per mythology, should be preserved. If all the rituals of Puri Jagannath temple are performed everywhere, the significance of the original temple will be diluted,' said Padmanava Mahasuar, president of the Suar Mahasuar Nijog. In its poster, the Suar Nijog said its members should not participate in the preparation of bhog at any temple other than the Puri temple. The Puspalaka Nijog condemned the promotional slogan for the Digha Jagannath Temple that says 'no need to go to Puri to see Jagannath Dham and sea' and 'Jagannath Dham is here now'. It has warned servitors against participating in rituals like aarti and the dressing of the deity on the day of the inauguration or thereafter. 'Any member found defying the order will face strict action,' read the notice signed by the secretary of Puspalaka Nijog, Harekrushna Singhari. The 213-foot-tall temple at Digha, designed as an exact replica of the 12th-century Puri Jagannath Temple, has been built in accordance with the Kalingan architectural style using sandstone. Like the Puri temple, it is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Goddess Mahalaxmi. The West Bengal Chief Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the temple on the day of Akshaya Tritiya, which is considered auspicious for new beginnings. The rituals leading up to the 'Pran Pratistha' have commenced, with a 'Kalash Yatra' performed by devotees on Saturday. The temple project, announced in 2019, started construction in May 2022 under the supervision of the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO).
