Bhubaneswar/Puri: Jagannath temple can be constructed anywhere in the world, but it cannot be referred to as ‘Jagannath Dham’, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan asserted on Saturday.
“The comparison with Mahaprabhu’s (Lord Jagannath) Dham is totally unacceptable. Everyone knows that Puri Jagannath Temple is one of the four Dhams (primary Hindu pilgrimage destinations) in India,” he told reporters, while strongly opposing the official documents of West Bengal government mentioning the newly-built Digha temple as ‘Jagannath Dham’.
Harichandan further stated that surplus sacred neem wood from the 12th-century shrine cannot be used elsewhere. “The servitors from Puri were not barred from visiting the new temple, but their participation in the consecration ceremony and use of surplus sacred neem wood of Nabakalebara rituals to craft the idols for the new shrine raise eyebrows,” he said.
This came a day after the Odisha government directed Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) here to probe the controversies stemming from the recent inauguration of a replica of the 12th-century shrine in neighbouring West Bengal’s Digha. It also mentioned that “conflicting information over Jagannath culture” had hurt the sentiments of devotees and 4.5 crore Odia people.
Also Read: Odisha Govt Orders Probe Into Digha Jagannath Temple Row, Idols Made From Puri Shrine Wood
The probe seeks to uncover the truth about these claims. “Appropriate action will be taken based on the probe report. I would also request CM Mohan Majhi, once he returns from Mumbai, to take up the matter with his Bengal counterpart,” the Law Minister said.
He also expressed his personal objection over entry of people belonging to all communities to the Jagannath temple in Digha.
Meanwhile, the Puri temple administration is scheduled to hold a meeting under the chairmanship of SJTA chief Arabinda Padhee later in the day to discuss the issue. It will be attended by all servitor associations of the 12th-century shrine.
Also Read: Took Idols Made Of Neem Wood To Digha, But ‘Bharma’ Exists Only In Puri: Daitapati Servitor
Senior Puri Jagannath temple servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra has been in the eye of the storm for participating in the Digha temple’s inauguration. His assertion that he had taken idols made from neem wood to Digha for the inaugural ceremony added fuel to the ongoing controversy.