Puri, May 7: In a significant development, the Shankaracharya of Puri has stated that only the Jagannath temple in Puri, holds the rightful claim to be called “Jagannath Dham.”
“There is only one Dham of Lord Jagannath, and that is in Puri. The term ‘Dham’ should not be used for any other place. It would be inappropriate to refer to any other temple as ‘Dham’,” he said.
His comments come in the wake of growing tensions between Odisha and West Bengal following the appearance of a hoarding at the entrance of the Digha temple in West Bengal, describing it as “Jagannath Dham.” The hoarding was removed after widespread backlash but was reportedly reinstated, intensifying the dispute further.
Religious leaders and cultural commentators in Odisha have expressed strong opposition, viewing the move as an attempt to undermine the sacred and unique status of Puri, which is revered as one of the four Char Dhams in Hinduism. The Shankaracharya’s intervention is likely to increase pressure on the West Bengal authorities to reconsider the use of the title for the Digha temple.
Earlier, the Odisha government had also warned of potential legal measures against the unauthorised use of religious terminology associated with the Puri Jagannath temple. Officials emphasised that the temple is not merely a state landmark but a monument of national spiritual significance.
So far, the West Bengal government has not issued any official response to the remarks made by the Shankaracharya.
Shankaracharya opens up on controversy over Puri Jagannath Temple #purijagannath #jagannathtemple #dighajagannathtemple #dighajagannathmandir pic.twitter.com/m6VpUr8Ux4
— Prameya English (@PrameyaEnglish) May 7, 2025
