West Bengal drops Dham from Digha Jagannath Temple name

The West Bengal government has decided to remove the word "Dham" from the official name of the Jagannath temple complex in Digha, resolving a year-long religious and cultural dispute. The announcement was made by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday, June 9, following a formal request from Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Chief Minister Adhikari confirmed the decision, stating that the term "Dham" would be dropped from the nomenclature. He said the complex would continue to function as a place of worship and cultural activity, but under a revised name. Adhikari indicated that a formal proposal would be placed before the state cabinet to implement the change officially.

The decision comes in direct response to a letter from Odisha's Chief Minister Majhi, which was delivered to Adhikari by Puri Member of Parliament Sambit Patra. In his communication, Majhi argued that the title "Jagannath Dham" is intrinsically and exclusively associated with the sacred Jagannath Temple in Puri, which is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites in Hinduism. He stated that using the term for the Digha complex had generated serious concern among devotees, religious...