Use of ‘Jagannath Dham’ for Digha temple sparks outrage in Puri
The Statesman | 3 May 2025
Servitors of the Puri Jagannath Temple, along with several others, including Padma Shri awardee and renowned sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik, have strongly objected to the use of the term ‘Jagannath Dham’ for a recently inaugurated temple in Digha, West Bengal.
Puri is one of the four sacred dhams in India, and the designation cannot be replicated elsewhere. In a letter to Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Mr Patnaik emphasised that the title ‘Jagannath Dham’ is exclusive to Puri.
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Concerns were also raised over rituals performed at the Digha temple, including the installation of darubrahma—a sacred practice signifying the rebirth of Lord Jagannath—traditionally conducted only at Puri during Nabakalebara, an event that occurs once every 12 years.
One of the servitors who attended the Digha inauguration clarified that stone idols had initially been installed four months ago. “When I was consulted for an auspicious date, I informed them that rituals cannot be performed with stone idols. I then provided idols made from neem wood, as per tradition, for the consecration,” he said.
However, he too objected to calling the temple ‘Jagannath Dham’, stating: “There is only one Jagannath Dham, and it is in Puri. There are numerous Jagannath temples across India and abroad, and no one objects to them—but using the term ‘dham’ is inappropriate.”
Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida also weighed in on the issue, sharply criticising the move. “A dictatorial regime often displays arrogance. Lord Jagannath is watching everything,” she remarked on Friday.
Sudarshan Patnaik further demanded that chief minister Mamata Banerjee offer an apology to Jagannath devotees for referring to the Digha temple as a ‘dham’.