Kolkata, June 8 (IANS) West Bengal’s Jagannath temple in Digha, East Midnapore district, will no longer be considered a ‘Dham’, one of the sacred pilgrimage sites of Hinduism. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced this on Tuesday, stating that the temple complex will now be known as ‘Shri Sri Jagannath Cultural Centre’.

Adhikari said that BJP MP from Puri, Sambit Patra, had come as an envoy with a letter from Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

“The Chief Minister of Odisha has sent Puri MP Sambit Patra. He said that everyone wants a puja path. But the word ‘Dham’ is not compatible with traditional culture. Accepting the proposal of the Chief Minister of Odisha, we are removing the word ‘Dham’ from the Digha campus,” Adhikari said.

He added that the cabinet had approved the change, with HIDCO tenders and government funds already sanctioned.

“Where the worship of Thakur is done, that structure will be known as the temple. It will be known as the Shri Jagannath Dev Temple,” he said.

Adhikari clarified that worship in the Digha temple will follow the rules of Jagannath Dev worship in Indian culture and scriptures, conducted in a sattvic manner. Prasad will be served, and details of the Trust Committee will be made available on the temple’s website.

Digha Jagannath Temple Trustee and Chief Priest Radharman Das welcomed the decision, saying: “We sincerely welcome this decision of the Hon’ble Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He personally discussed this matter with me, and we are very happy that from now on this temple will be known as ‘Digha Jagannath Temple’.”

A few days earlier, Adhikari had visited the ISKCON temple in Mayapur and discussed the matter with Radharman. ISKCON is responsible for the puja at the Digha temple.

Criticising the previous Trinamool government, Adhikari said: “It is not right to write Dham in the name of the temple. I have seen the documents, and it was built as a cultural centre. The insult done to traditional culture by the previous government, this government will not do it.”

Sambit Patra explained Odisha’s objection: “According to the tradition of Sanatan, there are four Dhams. One of them is Jagannath Dham in Odisha, where Narayan resides. Adi Shankaracharya established four Dhams. So when Digha temple was built in 2025 and called Dham, not only four and a half crore Odia friends, but also devotees in Bengal were hurt.”

Adhikari said, “You can’t play with tradition like this.” Sambit thanked him for accepting the Odisha Chief Minister’s proposal, adding: “The new government respects tradition.”

–IANS

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