Explained: Why replica of the Puri Jagannath temple in Bengal has triggered a row?
Two servitor groups from Puri Jagannath Temple have warned its members against participating in any rituals at the new Jagannath temple. What is the row about?
Even as West Bengal prepares for the grand inauguration of a new Jagannath Temple at the seaside town of Digha by West Bengal Chief MInister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday (April 30), a controversy has surfaced over the new temple.
This new Jagannath Dham temple complex has been inspired by the iconic 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha.
Now, certain servitor (people who are entrusted with the seva-puja or ritual services of the deities) groups belonging to the Puri Jagannath Temple, have strongly warned its members not to participate in any the rituals. Moreover, the Opposition in Bengal too have slammed Mamata for using tax money to pay for the temple.
What is the row all about?
What is this new Jagannath temple in Bengal?
This new temple, dedicated to Lord Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, has been modelled after the renowned Jagannath Temple in Puri. It spans 22 acres near the Digha railway station and has been developed with an estimated cost of Rs 250 crore.
Constructed using over 3 lakh cubic feet of Bansi Paharpur pink sandstone from Rajasthan, the ₹250-crore temple replicates Puri’s architectural ethos — featuring a Vimana (Garbha Griha or sanctum sanctorum), the Jagamohan (assembly hall), the Nat Mandir (dancing hall) and the Bhog Mandap (offering hall),
The project, undertaken by the state-run Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), also includes a Rath Yatra route and designated ‘Maasir Bari’— the god's aunt’s house—further mirroring the rituals undertaken by Puri.
Also Read: No snakes, tunnels inside Ratna Bhandar: Puri temple treasury reopening debunks myths
Why replicate a Jagannath temple in Bengal?
Puri has always been a sought-after spiritual and leisure destination for Bengalis — attracting pilgrims with its divine allure and tourists with its coastal charm. Generations of Bengalis have held onto a deep-seated love for Puri’s golden sands and ancient temples. Lakhs of devotees from Bengal flock to Puri every year.
Puri also remained a cultural trope in travel literature, cinema and offered a quick, heavenly break from everyday life in cosmopolitan Kolkata.
The annual Rath Yatra, which is celebrated quite elaborately every year, sees Jagannath embark on a grand chariot journey, and draws millions from across India, with Bengalis forming a significant part of the devout crowd.
Also Read: Amid BJP's 'anti-Hindu' tirade, Mamata to inaugurate Jagannath temple
What's the row about?
Digha, a much more accessible coastal town from Kolkata, is now positioning itself as a dual attraction—offering both a beachside retreat and a new “Jagannath Dham”.
Emulating the architectural grandeur of the original temple, complete with 'stone-made idols of the Holy Trinity', West Bengal appears to be directly competing with Odisha's spiritual tourism.
The West Bengal government has stated that the Digha temple will not only mirror the architectural and ritualistic aspects of the Puri Jagannath Temple but also serve as a local alternative for devotees.
Their promotional slogans, such as “No need to go to Puri to see Jagannath Dham and the sea” and “Jagannath Dham is now in Digha too,” are considered to be offensive to the Jagannath Temple sevitor community.
Critics too have expressed concerns that this new temple may draw visitors away from Puri, potentially diminishing its tourism flow and cultural heritage significance.
What Mamata Banerjee said?
Mamata contended that Digha temple will enhance the state’s international appeal, particularly given its seaside locale. Modelled after the 12th-century Puri temple located 350 km away, the Digha temple is regarded as ‘India’s pride’, said Mamata, ahead of the temple's consecration.
Warnings to servitors
Meanwhile, two major servitor associations of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri have warned it members against participating in the inaugural rituals of the newly-constructed shrine in West Bengal's Digha.
The Suar Mahasuar Nijog and Puspalaka Nijog have asked their members to not attend the consecration ceremony or face a boycott at the Puri temple.
The Puspalaka Nijog members, who are responsible for decorating the sibling deities of Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Jagannath, have labelled the rituals of the new temple as disrespectful to the unique traditions and sanctity of the of the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple.
The statements made by the Bengal government are seen as undermining the spiritual and cultural significance of the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple, which has followed its distinctive rituals since its consecration centuries ago, the Nijog said.
The Suar Mahasuar Nijog, which prepares the food at the Puri temple, advised their members not to cook at the new temple. Padmanava Mahasuar, the Suar Mahasuar Nijog president told the media that there is no bar on servitors visiting the Digha temple but they cannot cook there.
He said there are hundreds of Jagannath temples across the country, but the rituals of the shrine in Puri are based on scriptures. The cook are blessed and dedicated to the service of the lord and cannot be cooking in other places like caterers, he added.
They warned that participation in these activities will be considered a violation of its code, leading to expulsion from the association.
Also Read: ‘Stick to tradition, scriptures while holding Rath Yatra’, Puri Jagannath temple tells ISKCON
Political friction
The temple has also ignited political friction. The BJP has called Mamata a "fake Hindu", stating that government funds cannot be used for building temples.
"Hindus construct temples on their own. No government fund was used to build the Ram temple (in Ayodhya). Hindus across the world funded it," said BJP leader and the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Adhikari sought clarification on whether the structure being inaugurated is a temple or a cultural centre, as the official tender documents describe the project as Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra.
Adhikari also brought up sensitive issues regarding recruitment and access. He questioned whether non-Hindus would be appointed to work at the temple complex given that WBHIDCO, a government-run public sector undertaking, cannot discriminate based on religion.
Why Mamata pushed for a new Jagannath temple?
The Chief Minister has expressed hope that the temple would help Digha transform into an international tourist destination.
However, political observers noted that the temple is part of Trinamool Congress’s broader push towards “soft Hindutva” ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Also, after the recent Murshidabad violence, Mamata is being branded as anti-Hindu by the BJP.
In the highly polarised political landscape of West Bengal, the Jagannath Temple is the ruling party’s answer to the allegations of being “fake-Hindu” levelled at Mamata by the BJP.
“Jai Jagannath” is going to be the Trinamool’s answer to the BJP’s war cry of“Jai Shri Ram”.
Also Read: Archaeological remains of Puri Jagannath Temple 'destroyed': ASI