Bengal govt agrees to drop ‘dham’ from Digha Jagannath shrine

Bhubaneswar: The newly formed BJP govt in West Bengal on Tuesday announced removal of the term ‘dham’ from the Jagannath temple in Digha — a move that sparked jubilation in Odisha and brought the curtains down on a year-long demand that had failed to gain traction when the TMC was in power.

West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who as leader of the opposition had opposed the naming of the temple as ‘Jagannath Dham’, made the announcement in the presence of Puri MP Sambit Patra.

“The Puri MP met me and handed over a letter from Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, requesting that the name ‘Jagannath Dham’ be dropped from the Digha temple. We will remove it by initiating necessary official procedures,” Adhikari said.

Calling the earlier decision of the TMC govt led by Mamata Banerjee “a disrespect to Sanatan culture,” Adhikari added, “The present govt will not dishonour Sanatan sanskriti. Odisha CM made a good proposal, and this was also in my heart.”

Describing Adhikari’s decision as historic, CM Majhi said, “I am deeply delighted that CM Suvendu Adhikari Ji has overturned the shortsighted policy of the previous govt and recognised the significance of this sensitive issue. After removal of ‘Dham’ word from the Digha project, the premises will now be named as ‘Sri Sri Jagannath Mandir Cultural Center’,” Majhi wrote in his social media post.

Extending his heartfelt appreciation to the Bengal govt, Majhi said the decision will further strengthen the fraternal bond and cultural harmony between the two neighbouring states.

The development followed Odisha’s renewed push with the new BJP govt in West Bengal. Patra said that after last month’s govt change, he met Majhi and urged him to take up the matter with the Bengal CM.

Ever since Mamata inaugurated the temple on April 30, 2025, naming it ‘Jagannath Dham’, there has been protests in Odisha, calling for a name change.

The Puri Jagannath Temple administration, Odisha govt, Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, Puri king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, and people from all walks of life expressed strong displeasure over the nomenclature, which they said should only be associated with the Puri shrine, one of the four dhams in Hindu religion.

On May 6, 2025, CM Majhi wrote to Mamata requesting removal of the name, but it failed to yield results. However, the prospect of a resolution brightened after the BJP assumed office in Bengal last month.

Welcoming the decision, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration’s chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said the removal of the term “dham” is deeply satisfying. “It carries immense spiritual and emotional significance for millions of devotees. Personally, I feel extremely happy, emotionally touched, and blessed,” Padhee said.