Devotees flock to Digha as Jagannath temple inauguration countdown begins
Times of India | 28 April 2025
123 Digha: Devotees started arriving in Digha and security was increased in the coastal town on Sunday as the countdown for the inauguration of Jagannath Dham on Akshaya Tritiya began. The sound of shehnai was heard everywhere, along with the chanting of mantras.
Contai ASP Shubhendra Kumar said: "A checkpoint has been set up at Digha Gate. The stretch from here to the Odisha border will be manned by police." Traffic curbs will be in place in Old Digha from Monday. The National Highway 116B stretch from Old Digha, which leads to the temple complex, will be regulated from Monday to Wednesday. Around 800 policemen have already been deployed.
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Rituals leading up to the consecration — which include 1 crore mantras — began, presided over by Puri Jagannath temple chief servitor Rajesh Daitapati, Iskcon vice-president Radharamn Das and 60 other Iskcon devotees. The worship of Jagannath's seat was completed, and the deities of Jagannath, Balaram, Subhadra and Sudarshan were bathed in milk. Other deities in the temple, including Lakshmi, Bimala and Satyabhama, were also given a milk bath.
Bipraday Chatterjee, joint secretary of Digha Hoteliers Association, said the temple inauguration had led to a huge demand for local hotels, which had been booked in advance. Roads from Old Digha to New Digha have been decorated with colourful lights by Chandernagore artisans.
Several light gates have been installed. The nor'wester on Saturday night, however, caused on of these to collapse on the road, causing traffic snarls. The administration quickly removed the fallen gate, and no injuries were reported.
The temple, which was proposed by CM Mamata Banerjee in 2018, has taken shape on a 20-acre site in Bhagirathpur mouza, around 360m north of the seashore and east of New Digha Railway Station. It is entirely modelled after the Jagannath temple in Puri. It primarily has Kalinga architecture, characterised by pyramid-like spires and intricate sculptures. The Nagara style of temple architecture is also evident.
The stones used were brought from Bansi Paharpur in Rajasthan, known for its pink sandstone. The temple was shaped by 400 labourers from Rajasthan, its neighbouring belts and Odisha. Unlike the wooden idol in Puri's temple, the Jagannath temple in Digha will house a stone idol for worship. A wooden idol will also be present, which will travel to the aunt's house during the Rath Yatra.
A Chaitanya Gate is being constructed on NH116B, in front of the main entrance of the temple. In the sanctum sanctorum, Vimana, which is approximately 65m high, one will find the Ratnavedi, where Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra are enshrined. The installation of the idols from Rajasthan on the Ratnavedi was completed in mid-March.
Railways cancels special trains: A railway notification announced cancellation of the Howrah-Digha and Panskura-Digha EMU specials, which were scheduled to operate from April 26 to May 5. South Eastern Railway, via its social media handle, stated that the trains "have now been cancelled with immediate effect until further notice due to lack of rake and operational constraints". The late cancellation has drawn strong criticism from Trinamool Congress, which said these EMU specials were intended to run during the Jagannath Temple inauguration to assist people in reaching Digha easily. Railways has not commented on the matter. tnn