A controversy has erupted over the naming of a newly constructed Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal, with Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, the Badagrahi (chief servitor) of Lord Jagannath in Puri, strongly objecting to the temple being referred to as ‘Jagannath Dham’.
Speaking to the media, Swain Mohapatra clarified that Puri’s Shreekhetra is the only true Jagannath Dham and cautioned against equating other temples with the sacred status of Puri’s Srimandir, which holds unique spiritual and ritualistic significance.
“There is only one Jagannath Dham in the world — and that is in Puri. Temples may exist elsewhere, but their identity and rituals cannot replicate those of the original,” he said.
On the ‘Daru’ Idol Claim
Responding to reports that the idol at the Digha temple was made from sacred ‘daru’ wood linked to Puri’s Nabakalebara ritual, Mohapatra firmly rejected the claim. He explained that during Nabakalebara, the sacred wood used for Lord Jagannath’s idols is ritually dismantled and cremated, and any remaining portions are used strictly within the Puri temple for internal purposes—not for crafting idols in temples elsewhere.
Absence at the Inauguration
The chief servitor also revealed that although he was invited to the Digha temple’s inauguration, he chose not to attend, distancing himself from the event.
“I was invited, but I chose not to go,” he stated bluntly, signaling his disapproval of the temple’s positioning.
Growing Opposition in Odisha
His remarks come amid rising discontent in Odisha over attempts to replicate and label temples outside the state as ‘Jagannath Dham’, a title historically and spiritually reserved for the original shrine in Puri. The move by the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government to brand the Digha temple as such has particularly offended public sentiment in Odisha.
Earlier, the Puri Chhatisa Nijog, the apex body of temple servitors, had also sought legal intervention against the branding of the Digha temple.
As the debate intensifies, Mohapatra’s firm stance reinforces calls for preserving the unique identity, sanctity, and heritage of Puri Jagannath Temple, while discouraging any form of misrepresentation elsewhere.
