Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The construction of a Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal, has caused a lot of controversy in Odisha, especially among Lord Jagannath’s followers and some of his servants. There has been tremendous opposition to the temple’s designation as “Digha Jagannath Dham” and the installation of Brahma, with many people doubting the project’s intentions. Former Srimandir management committee member and Padma Shri recipient Sudarshan Patnaik has written to the Chief Minister of Odisha, pleading with him to step in and resolve the issue. The renowned Jagannath Temple in Puri, one of the Charidham and a significant pilgrimage site, may lose its prestige as a result of the construction of the temple in Digha, according to Patnaik and other devotees.
The dispute has also generated worries that the Digha Jagannath Temple might represent a danger to Puri’s tourism economy, which relies largely on Bengali tourists. Many have questioned the involvement of certain Daitapati servitors from Puri in the consecration ritual of the Digha temple, further feeding the dispute. A Jagannath temple in Digha has been welcomed by some, but others have stressed that it shouldn’t be called Jagannath Dham since this may be seen as lessening the importance of the Puri temple.
A few days ago, the Maha Suara Niyog of Shrimandir posted signs on all four gates in protest of this temple in Digha, requesting that no one take part in the Rosh program (prasad preparation) there. However, there has been a lot of resistance to the Daitapati Nijog secretary and a few other Daitapati Sevaks attending the temple’s opening ceremony.
Nevertheless, several senior servants voiced their displeasure, claiming that those who had traveled to Digha are religious traders rather than servants. In response, senior Puri temple servant Ramakrishna Das Mahapatra stated, “No one can take the place of Puri.” Many people are demanding that the Odisha government intervene to safeguard the interests of the Puri temple and its followers in light of the situation, which has generated a contentious discussion.
