The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has issued a show cause notice to senior Daitapati servitor Ramakrushna Das Mahapatra over his alleged statements regarding the construction of idols at a newly built temple in Digha, West Bengal.
The controversy stems from media reports suggesting that surplus sacred neem wood (Daru) from the 2015 Nabakalebar rituals at the Puri Jagannath Temple was used for idol creation in Digha. Some reports claim that Das Mahapatra allegedly told West Bengal-based media that he transported the wood from Puri to Digha. However, he later denied making such statements in the Odisha media, labelling them as false reports.
The conflicting claims have confused devotees and raised concerns about preserving the sanctity of the Puri Jagannath Temple. Responding to the growing controversy, the Odisha government has instructed the SJTA to investigate whether sacred wood from Puri was indeed used in Digha.
Dasmahapatra has been given seven days to respond to the notice, failing which disciplinary action will be taken under the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1955.
