Puri: In a significant step to assist devotees, the district administration in Odisha’s Puri has launched a mobile application – ‘Shree Jagannatha Dham’ – for the 12th century temple in the pilgrim town.
The app offers comprehensive updates on Shree Jagannath Temple’s rituals, schedules, and special events like Rath Yatra, improving the pilgrim experience.
The title of the new application is considered significant as it comes amid the ongoing controversy over the nomenclature attached to the new temple at Digha by the West Bengal government.
“The application provides information about ritual schedules, queue waiting duration, Rath Yatra preparations and other special events. Additional contents are being developed and will be added in future updates,” Puri district collector Siddharth Shankar Swain.
The selection of ‘Jagannath Dham’ as the application’s name reflects the sentiments of the devotees, who consider Puri as the original ‘Jagannath dham’ among the ‘char dhams’ in India, he said. The collector also shared information about the application in a post on X.
Jai Jagannath 🙌
A New App *Shree Jagannatha Dham* has been launched for facilitation of Devotees. The services include-Exact Niti status & timings
-Tentative waiting time at queues
-Arrangements for *Rath Yatra* and all special occassions pic.twitter.com/JG7kYK2hlY— Collector and District Magistrate Puri (@dm_puri) June 6, 2025
Notably, a controversy had erupted on April 30 when West Bengal government used ‘Jagannath Dham’ term for the new temple in Digha, evoking sharp criticism from devotees and others.
While the application has been launched ahead of the upcoming Rath Yatra celebration on June 27, it will continue to operate beyond the annual cr festival, with additional features planned specifically for the event. Users can locate public facilities, temples and navigate different routes to their desired destinations.
The application will serve as a tourist guide in Puri, providing information about daily ritual timings, darshan schedules, Mahaprasad availability, and donation procedures at the shrine.
It will provide information about nearby religious sites, accommodation options and other facilities through the application. The app will include a grievance redressal feature too. “Feedback for improvement is welcome,” the district administration added.
