Odisha CM Opposes Naming of Digha Jagannath Temple as ‘Jagannath Dham’
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has raised strong objections to the naming of the newly inaugurated Shree Jagannath Temple in Digha, West Bengal, as ‘Jagannath Dham’. In a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Majhi urged the Bengal government to reconsider the decision and avoid using the term in official naming, communication, or promotional materials.
CM Majhi emphasized that “Jagannath Dham” is a sacred title uniquely associated with the holy town of Puri—home to the original and ancient shrine of Lord Jagannath. Highlighting its status as one of the four cardinal pilgrimage sites (Char Dham) in Hinduism, he warned that using the title elsewhere could cause confusion among devotees and dilute the heritage of the Puri temple.
“The name ‘Jagannath Dham’ holds profound spiritual, religious, and cultural significance and is inextricably linked to Puri,” Majhi wrote. “Its use in reference to any other location not only offends religious sentiments but also undermines Puri’s distinct identity as the Moola Peetha of Lord Jagannath.”
The controversy deepened after a permanent ‘Jagannath Dham’ signage was installed at the Digha temple, despite opposition from religious and cultural bodies in Odisha.
Earlier, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri had voiced strong opposition, stating that the sanctity and exclusivity of the term ‘Jagannath Dham’ must be preserved. Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Chairman of the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee and the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, also appealed to the Digha temple authorities to honor tradition and refrain from using titles sacredly reserved for Puri.
The Odisha government’s stand echoes a broader public sentiment that views any attempt to replicate or rename Jagannath’s sacred abode as a violation of centuries-old religious and cultural ethos.
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