The use of Dham in the case of newly built Jagannath temple at Digha,WB has created a sort of rift between the temple authorities of popular Puri Jagannath temple and the government of West Bengal led by CM Mumta Banerjee. The Odisha government had a plan to write to the WB government to stop referring to the Digha temple, WB as Dham sparking unwanted political dispute 'as the emotional connection of Odias to the 12th Century Jagannath temple, Puri runs deep and it has been around for centuries'. The Digha temple is built as a spiritual destination in West Bengal similar to Odisha’s hoary Jagannath Temple.
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| Jagannath temple, Digha, West Bengalindiatoday.in |
Odias are deeply pained over the unnecessary use of Dham to refer to the newly built temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra. The new temple built at the huge cost of Rs. 250 crore and that was opened in April, 2025 has neither history nor time-honored traditional rituals exclusively followed by the temple which is managed by ISCON. A war of words precipitated between the ruling BJP government and the opposition parties in Odisha. The government of Odisha was firm that the title Dham was reserved only for the Puri temple and the title had been in use for several centuries. At stake is the Puri temple's long cherished legacy.
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| Digha temple WB and Puri temple,Odisha theunstumbled.com |
Yet another controversy brewed over the making of wooden idols from the left over wood of Puri temple. The government was contemplating to take severe action against those who helped make idols for the Digha shrine. The temple craftsmen dismissed the claim and said the excess Neem wood that was used in 2015 to make the three wooden idols, was properly stored and was not given to the Digha temple.
Meanwhile other party leaders told the BJP led government that 'the construction of Jagannath temple at Digha is a calculated threat from the neighboring state and the government of Odisha has to save the heritage and legacy of Jagannath temple, Puri'.
The Puri Shankaracharya said, ''Establishing many temples is good, but using the nomenclature of other temple like the Dham is objectionable". The hereditary servitor of the temple - the king of Puri and senior authorities of the temple administration were not happy about the unfolding controversy in connection with the use of Dham with Digha temple, WB. Quite saddened and at the same furious over the new temple at Digha, bearing similar name and rituals, the servitor groups of Puri temple formally warned their members and prohibited participation in any of the rituals of the new Digha Jagannath Temple. They emphasized that violating these restrictions could result in a boycott or even expulsion from their respective associations.
Amidst a growing and unabated controversy, the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Dibyasingha Deb, had categorically stated In a statement on May 5, 2025 that the newly built Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal, cannot be referred to as ‘Jagannath Dham.’ He emphasized that only Shree Purushottama Kshetra, popularly known as Shreekhetra (Puri), holds the rightful title of ‘Jagannath Dham.''
The people of Odisha are emotionally and culturally connected to the Puri temple's sanctity, divinity and identity. It is one of the four Dham pilgrimages making it even more sacred and religiously significant. Cultural practices specified to Puri temple should not be either altered or copied in other temples.
https://theunstumbled.com/digha-jagannath-temple-vs-puri-jagannath-temple
