Bhubaneswar: The newly constructed Jagannath Temple in Digha finds itself at the center of a renewed controversy as the West Bengal Government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has once again installed a name board identifying the temple as “Jagannath Dham.” This move has reignited the strong objections previously voiced by the Odisha Government, the Puri King, senior servitors of the Puri Temple, and numerous Jagannath devotees.
The contentious “Jagannath Dham Digha” signage had been briefly removed following widespread criticism, only to reappear today with a fresh installation. This defiant act by the West Bengal Government underscores Chief Minister Ms.Banerjee’s apparent determination to use the term “Dham” for the Digha temple, a decision that has been met with considerable opposition.
Adding his voice to the chorus of disapproval, Jyotirmath Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati today asserted that the appellation “Jagannath Dham” is inappropriate for the Digha temple. “Jagannath temple can be built anywhere, but the word ‘Dham’ should not be used as there is only one Dham of Lord Jagannath that is in Puri, Odisha. A ‘Dham’ can only be in one place,” the Shankaracharya stated, emphasizing the unique and singular significance of Puri as the original abode of Lord Jagannath. He acknowledged the omnipresence of the deity and the permissibility of establishing Jagannath temples elsewhere but deemed the “Dham” designation for Digha unsuitable.
Yesterday, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the King of Puri and the foremost servitor of Lord Jagannath, had also vehemently opposed the naming. Following consultations with the Muktimandap Pandita Sabha, the highest council of Brahmin scholars in Puri, the King unequivocally stated that terms like “Jagannatha Dham,” “Purushottama-Kshetra,” “Shreekshetra,” and “Neelachala Dham” are exclusively reserved for Puri, the Moola-peetha or original seat of Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu. The Sabha unanimously agreed that these sacred names cannot be extended to any other location housing the Chaturtha Daru Vigraham.
Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb had urged the Digha temple authorities to refrain from using the disputed name, cautioning that disrespecting the age-old traditions and heritage of Lord Jagannath would deeply hurt the religious sentiments of devotees worldwide.
The Odisha Government has also formally objected to West Bengal’s move. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced plans to write to the West Bengal government to convey their strong disapproval of the naming.
The repeated installation of the “Jagannath Dham” name board in Digha despite widespread opposition sets the stage for a potential escalation of the dispute, highlighting the deep reverence and territorial claims associated with the sacred nomenclature of Lord Jagannath’s principal abode in Puri.