Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to resolve a long-standing cultural dispute, the West Bengal Government on Tuesday announced the removal of the word “Dham” from the name of the Jagannath temple in Digha. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari made the announcement at Nabanna (secretariat) in the presence of Puri MP Sambit Patra.
The facility, previously referred to as ‘Shri Shri Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre’, will now be known as the ‘Shri Shri Jagannath Cultural Centre’. Temple rituals and worship will continue to be conducted strictly in accordance with the traditions of the original Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, with ISKCON currently overseeing the daily worship practices.
Speaking at the event, Puri MP Sambit Patra, who was deputed by Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, said: “The people of Odisha were deeply pained by the previous government’s actions regarding this matter. However, the current government of West Bengal respects the followers of Sanatan Dharma. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sent a letter, and ‘Shubhendu-da’ has assured that appropriate steps will be taken.
“Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated: “Currently, ISKCON oversees the worship rituals at the Digha Jagannath temple. The site was previously named ‘Shri Shri Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre.’ The word ‘Dham’ is being removed, but the name ‘Cultural Centre’ will remain, and temple rituals and worship will be conducted according to established traditions. The previous government insulted the followers of Sanatan Dharma by disregarding its tenets.”
A fierce row had erupted between the Odisha and West Bengal governments after the previous Trinamool Congress administration in Bengal promoted the Digha temple using the term “Jagannath Dham.”
This sparked strong objections from Odisha, where Puri’s Shree Jagannath Temple is revered as one of the four sacred Char Dhams in Hinduism. The Gajapati Maharaja of Puri and devotees across Odisha expressed displeasure, arguing that the term “Dham” is uniquely associated with Puri and its use elsewhere could create confusion and dilute the sanctity of the original shrine.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had earlier written to his then West Bengal counterpart, highlighting that “Puri’s Shri Jagannath Dham is one of the four sacred Dhams for Hindus” and requesting that the Digha temple not be promoted under that name to avoid misleading devotees.