Puri: Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb of Puri has urged the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the state government to take immediate action against the naming of the newly inaugurated Jagannath temple in Digha of West Bengal as ‘Jagannath Dham’.
Following a high-level meeting in Puri on Monday, the Gajapati expressed serious concern, stating that the name ‘Jagannath Dham’ is traditionally and spiritually reserved for Puri.
“The nomenclature used for the Digha temple has deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees. Terms like Nilachal Dham, Shreekhetra, Srimandir, and Jagannath Dham have always been exclusively associated with the sacred temple in Puri,” he said.
The issue came to light on April 30 during the consecration ceremony of the Digha temple, where it was officially referred to as ‘Jagannath Dham’. The Gajapati said that this came as a shock, as no other Jagannath temple worldwide uses this title.
Following consultations with senior scholars at the Mukti Mandap in Puri, a formal objection was issued. Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, also supported the stance that only Puri holds the designation of ‘Jagannath Dham’.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has reportedly written to his West Bengal counterpart, requesting the removal of the term ‘Jagannath Dham’ from the Digha temple’s official name.
“This temple has been built under the leadership of the West Bengal government, which also constituted its trust board. We urge our state government to engage with West Bengal and resolve the issue,” the Gajapati added.
He also expressed disappointment over ISKCON’s involvement in the project, stating that the organization should have been aware of the religious significance attached to the name.
“While we welcome the global spread of Jagannath culture, any misrepresentation or distortion of sacred traditions must be avoided,” he said.
