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Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Indian Express
Senior Puri Jagannath temple servitor who took part in Digha shrine consecration suspended for 30 days
TEN DAYS after he attended the inauguration of a Jagannath temple in West Bengal's Digha, a senior servitor at the Puri Jagannath temple was on Sunday suspended by the temple authorities for a month for 'demeaning the sanctity and dignity' of the 12th century shrine, one among the four dhams in Hinduism. According to the suspension order issued by Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra has been debarred from participating in any temple ritual and also from entering into temple premises for 30 days. Officials said the disciplinary action has been initiated as per the provisions of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955. The order also warned against any attempt to influence or intimidate other servitors or individuals which will impact the rituals of the temple. If he makes any such attempt, the suspension period will be extended, according to the order. Instruction has also been issued to monitor his behaviour during the suspension period. 'The action has been initiated to ensure discipline in the Jagannath Temple. It's the duty of everyone to uphold the sanctity of the shrine and traditions. Any kind of indiscipline will not be tolerated,' said Padhee. Dasmohapatra, a senior servitor of Daitapati Nijog — the group that performs special rituals during the annual Rath Yatra — had participated in the inauguration of the Digha temple on April 30, and made some 'contradictory statements' for which the SJTA had issued him a show-cause notice on May 4. The senior servitor was asked to explain the allegations regarding his interview to the media in West Bengal in which he claimed to have provided idols for the new shrine that were made from the leftover wood from the Nabakalebara rituals held in 2015. Nabakalebara is a sacred ritual in which the wooden idols of the sibling deities are replaced with new ones at the 12th century shrine. The ritual is performed at an interval of 12 or 19 years, coinciding with astronomical considerations. As his claims triggered a row, Dasmohapatra later contradicted his statement, saying that the idols were not made of the leftover wood from the Nabakalebara ritual, and that he had supervised the crafting of the idols for the Digha temple. An internal probe by the temple administration also found that no leftover wood from the Nabakalebara ritual was used for crafting idols for the Digha shrine. 'The contradictory statements created confusion among devotees of Lord Jagannath, hurt their sentiments and tarnished the dignity of the 12th century Puri Jagannath Temple,' said an official. On May 9, the SJTA issued another show-cause to Dasmohapatra asking him to explain how, being a senior servitor, he participated in the consecration ceremony of the Digha temple despite it being named as 'Jagannath Dham'. Naming of the Digha temple as Jagannth Dham has triggered a row with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently asking his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee to reconsider the decision, saying that referring to the new shrine as Dham dilutes 'Puri's distinct heritage'. Puri's erstwhile royal and chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee Dibyasingha Deb had also stated that referring to the Digha temple as a dham amounts to violation of 'scriptural injunctions and long-established tradition'.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Fresh showcause to Puri servitor over Digha temple naming row
1 2 Bhubaneswar: Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri, has issued a fresh show-cause notice to servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra on Friday, demanding a written explanation within 48 hours on whether he had opposed the naming of Jagannath temple in Digha as 'Jagannath Dham' while attending its consecration ceremony on April 30. "Despite being a senior servitor of the Lord, Dasmohapatra's participation in the self-named temple's establishment ceremony at Digha caused conflict among devotees regarding the traditions of the Puri Shri Mandir. It also hurt the religious sentiments of countless devotees of Shri Jagannath," the notice authorities said the showcause notice demands an explanation whether he raised any objections to the organisers of the Digha Jagannath temple about the 'Jagannath Dham' nomenclature at the time of his said if a satisfactory explanation is not received from Dasmohapatra within two days, action will be taken according to the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955."The notice mentions that images and videos of Dasmohapatra participating in the Digha temple ceremony and leading a group of servitors have been widely circulated..... Puri is the sacred and eternal seat of Lord Shri Jagannath. According to scriptural beliefs, Shri Jagannath Dham is one of the prominent holy sites among the four dhams of India," SJTA May 4, SJTA issued a showcause notice to Dasmohapatra to clarify within seven days his controversial statement about facilitating creation of idols for the Digha temple using surplus neem wood from the Nabakalebara ritual of the Puri shrine. His statement had caused a stir, leading to a govt investigation that subsequently disproved his claim. Repeated phone calls and messages to Dasmohapatra went unanswered.
The Print
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
How a temple inauguration has set off an Odisha-Bengal slugfest & a holy power tussle in Puri
While Mamata, often criticised as a 'pro-Muslim leader' by her political rivals, appears to be making a calculated political move through the state-sponsored project, the new temple has ignited a tussle between the TMC and the BJP which govern West Bengal and Odisha, respectively. A consecration ceremony was held last Wednesday at the Digha temple in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and senior leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress, in a major publicity push ahead of next year's assembly elections. New Delhi: The inauguration of a newly built Jagannath temple in West Bengal's Digha has stirred the pot in neighbouring Odisha, where influential groups of servitors from Puri's 12th-century Jagannath Temple are trading barbs over their involvement in the new shrine. Beneath what seems to be a political slugfest lies a power tussle among the servitors of the Puri temple, who are competing for positions in the new management committee of the Digha shrine, a popular tourist destination and pilgrimage. This marks the first time since the BJP came to power in Odisha that the management committee is being restructured by the government. Also Read: Divine diplomacy—how Jagannath shaped a millennium of Indian politics Fight over the name The BJP government in Odisha has criticised West Bengal's decision to name the new shrine 'Jagannath Dham'. The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri also questioned a senior servitor who participated in the Digha temple's consecration. On Monday, Mamata pushed back, calling the critics of the Digha temple 'envious'. 'When Mamata Banerjee builds the Kalighat Skywalk and Dakshineswar Skywalk, then there is no question. When she does Kali Puja or Durga Puja, then there is no question. But now Jagannath Dham has hurt them (BJP)? They are saying I stole neem wood. My house has four neem trees, for their information. Ask them how many they need. I do not need to steal. The mother of thieves screams the loudest,' she told reporters in Murshidabad. She denied allegations that surplus neem wood from the Puri temple was used to craft the idols at Digha. Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan also clarified Monday that, following an inquiry by the SJTA, it was confirmed that no wood from Puri was used in the Digha temple. Under the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, out of 18 members of the management committee, seven are nominated by the state government for three-year terms. The seven nominated members include five from among the sevaks or servitors of the temple, one person attached with muktimandap (body of religious scholars) and another working with any Hindu religious or spiritual organisation. 'The process to constitute the new committee (at the Puri temple) is underway. The members of the various influential groups of sevaks are vying for the posts. Without the committee in place, even the annual budget of the temple cannot be sent for the government's approval. That explains the eruption of the controversy over the Digha temple. 'There is a competition among the sevaks to show loyalty to the government. On the other hand, those who participated at the Digha temple consecration ceremony were close to the previous government led by the BJD,' according to a senior member of a 'nijog', which is an association of sevaks. There are several such associations in Puri based on the services provided by their members including Daitapati Nijog (considered bodyguards of the deity), Suar Mahasuar Nijog (involved in preparing the mahaprasad), Pushpalak Nijog (decoration), Pratihari Nijog (guarding the deities). Batto Krishna, A panda at the Puri temple, told ThePrint that internal politics among the sevaks in many ways shaped the ongoing tussle between the two state governments. 'Sabka apna apna rajneeti hai (Everybody is serving their own political interest). The West Bengal administration had sent invites to many of us. Some like the secretary of the Daitapati Nijog Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra accepted and went to Digha. Some nijogs issued diktats that their members were not allowed to participate. It's an open secret that those who went had BJD leanings while those who didn't were trying to be in the BJP's good books,' said Batto Krishna, who is the secretary of the Pradhani Nijog. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a member of the Suar Mahausar Nijog claimed that Mohapatra, who was questioned by the SJTA Monday, was close to the BJD under the Naveen Patnaik-led previous administration. 'The reverence for Jagannath Mahaprabhu is very high in Odisha. The ongoing process to form the next management committee has triggered a race among the members of the sevak associations to prove their loyalty to the new administration. That explains the ongoing political tussle to a large extent,' the member said. Meanwhile, Puri's titular king Gajapati Divyasingha Deb, also waded into the row Monday. Deb, who is the chairperson of the SJTA, claimed that the temple in West Bengal's Digha cannot be called 'Jagannath Dham'. He went on to cite scriptures to assert that only the Puri shrine qualifies to be a Dham. 'I wish to add here that the glory of Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu is most authentically and comprehensively expounded by Maharshi Veda Vyasa in 'Shree Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmyam' contained in the 'Vaishnava Khanda' of Skanda Purana. A plain reading of this scripture will leave no doubt that it is only Puri which can be called 'Shree Jagannatha Dham' and not any other place or temple because it is Puri which is the eternal holy abode of the Supreme Lord — Shree Purushottama-Jagannath,' he told reporters. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Jagannath temple Ratna Bhandar a monument to the legacy of those conquered throughout history
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.
