Renowned spiritual leader Jagadguru Rambhadracharya has firmly rejected the West Bengal government’s attempt to label Digha as a new ‘Jagannath Dham’, asserting that Puri remains the one and only sacred abode of Lord Jagannath.
His remarks come amid heated controversy following the recent construction of a Jagannath temple in Digha and the organisation of a Rath Yatra there for the first time this year.
During his spiritual visit to Shreekhetra Puri, the Padma Vibhushan awardee declared, “Lord Jagannath, the living Daru Brahma, resides eternally in Puri. This is the sacred Nilachala Dham. Any attempt to equate other locations with this holy place is not only misleading but disrespectful.”
The West Bengal government, under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has invested in building a Jagannath temple in the coastal town of Digha and has attempted to promote it as a religious hub. However, the initiative has drawn widespread backlash from devotees and spiritual leaders in Odisha, as well as from within Bengal.
Thousands of Bengali devotees who joined the Rath Yatra in Puri expressed emotional opposition to the ‘Dham’ tag being used for Digha. Many stated that while there may be Jagannath temples in various parts of the world, the spiritual sanctity and divine atmosphere of Puri remain unmatched.
“There is only one Shreekhetra, and that is Puri,” said a Bengali devotee, adding that the darshan of Lord Jagannath in Puri brings unparalleled peace and devotion.
The controversy has reignited sentiments about preserving the cultural and spiritual uniqueness of Puri, which is globally revered as the original and eternal seat of Lord Jagannath.
Earlier, Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb had also strongly opposed the ‘Dham’ designation for Digha, reiterating that while temples may be built in the Lord’s name elsewhere, Puri is the only true ‘Jagannath Dham’ according to tradition, scriptures, and history.
As the Rath Yatra continues in Puri with traditional grandeur, spiritual leaders and devotees alike are calling for respect toward the original heritage of Jagannath culture, while also welcoming the spread of devotion—as long as it does not distort the sanctity of Shreekhetra.
