Bhubaneswar: Amid a raging controversy in Odisha over a new shrine in West Bengal, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb on Monday made it clear that the recently-inaugurated temple at Digha is not ‘Jagannath Dham’.
In a press statement, the Puri King said that the original Peetha (seat) of Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu is Puroshottama Kshetra or Shri Kshetra.
“We came to know from various media that the newly constructed Shri Jagannath Temple at Digha of East Medinapur in West Bengal has been named as “Jagannath Dham” or “Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre,” he said.
The opinion of the Mukti Mandap Pandit Sabha was sought in this regard through a letter dated May 3, 2025, and a reply was received on May 4, he said.
The Mukti Mandap Pandit Sabha had mentioned that the original Peetha of Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu is Purushottama Kshetra. Even if the idols of the Chaturdhamurti established in any other place other than Puri, cannot be called ‘Jagannath Dham’, ‘Shri Purushottam Kshetra’, ‘Shri Kshetra’ or ‘Neelachal Dham’.
Therefore, the Jagannath temple in Digha or place cannot be called as Sri Jagannath Dham, Sri Kshetra, Purushottam Kshetra or Nilachal Dham, the Gajapati Maharaja clarified.
Meanwhile, noted researcher, writer, social worker and activist Anita Sabat demanded immediate steps by the West Bengal government to remove the word ‘Dham’ from the name of all social media handles of the Jagannath Temple inaugurated recently at Digha.
In a post on X handle, Sabat said the Jagannath Temple at Digha must stop copying the original to mislead others and change its logo which depicts ‘Neelachakra’ of the Puri shrine.
➡️ Dham must be removed from Handle name @jagannathdhamdg
➡️ #JagannathTempleDigha must stop using #JagannathdhamDigha
➡️ Jagannath Temple Digha must change its logo.
Stop copying the original #JagannathDham & misleading by using @JagannathaDhaam logo⬇️https://t.co/DuRtK54688 pic.twitter.com/BEiY0RtwDP
— Anita Sabat – ଡ. ଅନୀତା ସାବତ (@anitaexplorer) May 5, 2025
