Odisha vs West Bengal: What is the Jagannath Dham controversy
Written By Wion Web Desk
Published: May 06, 2025, 09:38 IST | Updated: May 06, 2025, 09:38 IST
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Discover the cultural clash as Odisha and West Bengal engage in a heated debate over the naming of the new Jagannath Temple in Digha. India News
The inauguration of a new Jagannath Temple at Digha, West Bengal, on April 30 stirred up a significant political and cultural controversy between Odisha and West Bengal surrounding its nomenclature. There is also a dispute about the materials used in its construction.
West Bengal Government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refer to the temple at Digha as “Jagannath Dham.” This name is associated with the 12th-century Jagannath Temple in Puri, which is regarded as one of Hinduism’s four sacred pilgrimage sites (Char Dham: Badrinath, Dwarka, Rameswaram, and Puri). This naming led to objections from the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration, the Odisha Government, and devotees. They argued that the Dham name should be reserved for Jagannath Temple at Puri.
In response to the controversy, the Jagannath Dham Signage was initially removed by the government, but it was reinstalled the next day, further fueling the controversy.
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Another point of contention is the use of sacred neemwood to construct idols at Digha Jagannath Temple. These are sacred neemwood from the Nabakalebara ritual at the Puri Jagannath Temple. Puri temple authorities are interrogating a senior servitor, Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra, on the issue. He was responsible for overseeing the idol installation at Digha.
West Bengal's Chief Minister denied such allegations, stating that Bengal has its own source of neemwood.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led Odisha government of politicising the issue. She argued that the construction of a Jagannath temple in West Bengal does not diminish the importance of the Jagannath temple at Puri.
This controversy underscores the deep cultural significance surrounding the religious sites in India and the implications of creation, replication, presentation and appropriation of religious names and sites.