Controversy Sparks Over Digha Temple Naming as 'Jagannath Dham'

In a recent discourse on religious nomenclature, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati weighed in on the contentious naming of the newly built Digha temple as 'Jagannath Dham,' asserting that such a designation should remain exclusive to the revered 12th-century temple in Puri, Odisha. Speaking to ANI, Saraswati emphasized, 'The word 'dham' should not be used as there is only one 'Dham' of Lord Jagannath, which is in Puri.'

In the wake of these statements, the West Bengal government, under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, faced pressure to amend the temple's designation. Subsequent to the controversy, 'Dham' was replaced with 'temple' on signage at the location. Daitapati Bhabani Das Mohapatra, a chief servitor of the Puri temple, lauded the change, declaring it a triumph for the 4.5 crore devotees of Lord Jagannath, stating, 'This is the victory of righteousness.'

This renaming incident comes after some leaders, including Shankaracharya, criticized Rahul Gandhi's comments about deities as 'mythological' and called for punishment for those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, inaugurating the Rs 250 crore temple, reiterated her respect for all religious sites, maintaining, 'We respect the temple in Puri and we also respect Jagannath Dham.' Despite ongoing tensions, she urged for religious tolerance and understanding across communities.

(With inputs from agencies.)