Digha Jagannath Temple Drops ‘Dham’ Title After Odisha's Request

In a significant development aimed at respecting religious sentiments and preserving the sanctity of the historic Jagannath tradition, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state government has accepted Odisha's request to remove the term "Dham" from the newly established Jagannath Temple complex in Digha.

The request was formally conveyed by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi through Puri MP Sambit Patra. According to Adhikari, both the Chief Secretary and the state government have accepted the letter and agreed to rename the complex strictly as Shri Jagannath Temple, Digha.

The Odisha government had expressed concerns over the use of the title "Jagannath Dham," emphasizing that it carries unique historical, spiritual, and cultural significance associated exclusively with the centuries-old Jagannath Temple in Puri, one of Hinduism's revered Char Dham pilgrimage sites.

Speaking on the matter, Adhikari stated that the decision was taken out of respect for the sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees across India and the world.

The Chief Minister further revealed that following his recent visit to the ISKCON headquarters in Mayapur, it was decided that the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) would manage the Digha temple complex. ISKCON will now be responsible for the temple's daily worship, religious rituals rooted in Sanatana Dharma, and overall maintenance of the premises.

The move is being viewed as an effort to maintain religious harmony while ensuring proper management and spiritual administration of the newly developed temple destination on the Bengal coast.