West Bengal Drops “Dham” Tag From Digha Jagannath Temple

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced Tuesday evening that the “Dham” suffix will no longer be part of the newly built Jagannath temple complex in Digha. Speaking from the state secretariat, Adhikari said the site will now be called the “Sri Sri Jagannath Cultural Centre” and also referred to as the Digha Jagannath Temple. He emphasized that while the name changes to respect religious norms, daily worship of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra will continue strictly by Sanatani tradition under ISKCON’s care, as they currently oversee rituals there.

This change follows a formal appeal by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who spoke on behalf of religious scholars, socio-cultural groups, and 4.5 crore Odia people. Majhi sent a letter objecting to the use of “Dham,” which Puri MP Sambit Patra delivered in person in Kolkata. Patra joined Adhikari during the announcement. Majhi’s letter stressed that the name caused deep hurt to devotees worldwide, urging that removing the suffix and adopting a name like “Shri Jagannath Temple, Digha” would help foster goodwill and mutual respect between Bengal and Odisha.

Shedding light on the project’s history, Adhikari explained that the “Dham” tag was not part of the original blueprint. It was added later, which he said disregarded Sanatan sentiment. The first cabinet decisions and construction documents, approved during Mamata Banerjee’s administration, had only described the site as a “cultural centre.” After discussing with senior ISKCON monks—who agreed the title clashed with religious scripture—Adhikari ordered Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal to update all official guidelines and inform the temple’s managing Trust of the change. Radharamn Das, Digha temple’s chief priest and a vice-president of ISKCON Kolkata, welcomed the move, calling it a positive step toward respecting Odia sentiment.

The naming controversy traces back to April 30, 2025, when the Mamata Banerjee’s government drew immediate criticism from traditionalists, including the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri and senior servitors like Binayak Dasmohapatra and Anu Pradhan. Critics accused the previous Trinamool Congress government of ignoring Hindu sentiment and attempting to invent a new Dham, a misstep that Puri authorities and local groups now see as rectified.