Digha: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated a grand Jagannath Temple in Digha on Wednesday. The temple is a replica of the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by a large number of devotees and dignitaries. The temple is expected to boost tourism in the coastal town of Digha.
“This temple will definitely add a new feather to the state’s cap. Digha will grow into an international tourist attraction. This will serve as a place of harmony,” Ms.Banerjee said at the inauguration.
The construction of the temple, which spans 20 acres, was undertaken by the state government at a cost of Rs 250 crore. Over 800 skilled artisans from Rajasthan worked on the project.
The newly inaugurated Jagannath Temple in Digha, a significant addition to West Bengal’s cultural landscape, has a history that traces back to 2018.
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms.Banerjee first announced the plan to construct a Jagannath Temple in Digha on December 11, 2018, during an administrative review meeting in the town.
The Chief Minister envisioned a temple similar to the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, aiming to create a major attraction for devotees and tourists. The initial announcement also included plans to renovate the existing Jagannath Ghat.
Following the announcement, the State Tourism Department was tasked with preparing a detailed project report. While initial discussions explored building the new temple on the site of an older Jagannath temple near the seashore, environmental restrictions led to the selection of an alternative location.
Ultimately, land next to the Digha railway station was chosen, with the Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority providing 20 acres for the project.
The West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) was entrusted with the construction of the temple. The actual construction work began in May 2022, on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.