A heated dispute has emerged surrounding the upcoming inauguration of the newly built Jagannath Temple in Digha, West Bengal. The temple, inspired by the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, is set to be inaugurated on April 30, coinciding with the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya.
However, several Puri-based servitors, scholars, and cultural experts have voiced strong objections. According to them, replicating the rituals of the sacred Puri temple undermines its spiritual uniqueness. They insist that the Puri Shrimandir remains sacred and irreplaceable, and any imitation of its practices elsewhere could compromise its religious significance.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has invited Puri servitors, including the Chunara sevayat (flag hoisting priest), to participate in the Digha ceremony. But the Niyog—a governing body of temple servitors—has rejected the invitation and warned that members participating in the rituals at Digha would face a service ban.
The Mahasuar Nijog, responsible for preparing the Mahaprasad in Puri, has threatened to protest if the Digha temple sells prasad using the sacred title of “Mahaprasad,” arguing it would tarnish the sanctity of the original offering.
Critics have also urged that the Digha temple should function like other Jagannath shrines, focusing on darshan and devotion rather than commercial elements. Some have controversially demanded that entry be restricted solely to Hindus to preserve its spiritual integrity.
As the ceremony draws near, the controversy continues to stir religious and cultural debates, highlighting the sensitivity of replicating age-old traditions.
Read Also: