From Rs 50cr in a year to Rs 100cr in 6 months: Jagannath temple boosts Digha’s biz revenues
Times of India | 30 November 2025
Kolkata/Digha: The economy of seaside town Digha has boomed since the inauguration of the Jagannath temple in April-end with businesses recording revenues of over Rs 100 crore in a little over six months, compared with Rs 50-60 crore in the previous 12 months.
"Total business in Digha crossed Rs 100 crore since the inauguration of the temple," state home and tourism secretary Nandini Chakraborty told TOI.
If the momentum persists, Digha could see revenues from hotel, merchandise, guide fees and overall spending by visitors and tourists cross Rs 150 crore by March 2026, a 200% increase in a single year, estimate state tourism officials. This puts Digha firmly in the state's religious circuit along with the likes of Nabadwip, Mayapur, Kalighat, Dakhineswar and Tarapith among others. .
Inaugurated on April 30, 2025, the Jagannath temple, modelled on the Puri shrine, has transformed Digha from a seaside getaway into a self-sufficient pilgrimage centre. Temple authorities reported that the complex attracted over 90 lakh devotees, averaging about 50,000 visitors a day.
"Since the temple's opening, there has been a continuous and massive surge of devotees. The crowd intensified on festive days," said Radharamn Das, of ISKCON Kolkata, who manages the complex. "The arrival of nearly 90 lakh people in just six months has propelled Digha's Jagannath temple into the league of the most popular new places of pilgrimage," he added.
Daily earnings of around Rs 4 lakh have made the shrine financially autonomous. There has been direct employment of about 170 people in temple service, security, cleaning and house-keeping, and the surrounding area has benefited from an indirect economic ripple effect.
Major festivals draw massive crowds, with the recent Raas Purnima proving to be a challenge for the local administration. Devotees now arrive daily from other states, local officials said, underscoring Digha's emergence as a significant religious destination, distinct from its appeal as a seaside resort.
Though built under the state govt's initiative, the temple's operations were handed over post-inauguration to the Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre Trust. A Jagannath Dham Police Outpost has been established on the temple premises.