"Political stunt": Puri Jagannath Temple's Chief Servitor slams Bengal govt's move to declare Digha as Jagannath Dham

Bhubaneswar (Odisha), May 4 2025 (ANI): The Chief Servitor of the Puri Jagannath Temple has strongly criticised the West Bengal government's decision to declare the newly built Jagannath temple in Digha as "Jagannath Dham", calling it a "political stunt." Speaking to ANI, Chief Servitor Daitapati Bhabani Das Mohapatra said that, according to sacred texts, there are only four recognised dhams (pilgrimage sites) -- and no other place can be called a 'dham.' Mohapatra accused the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government of acting out of "arrogance" and said the move was politically motivated. He urged the government to withdraw the use of the term 'dham'. "We all Daitapatis and our community are hurt since this controversy has erupted. Since the time we have started our worship and whatever we have heard from our ancestors or whatever written in our puranas and skands (holy books), there are only 4 dhaams, that is Raameshwaram, Badrinath, Dwarka and Jagannath Dham, out of which Jagannath Dham is superior in all... this is matter of crime. They cannot name like this. Dham is only Jagannath Dham. Any place apart from our chaardham, cannot be named as dham. This is crime of Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. We will request them to take back the name of "dham" .... You called it dham, put murtis in it, didn't ask anyone... I will say they did it out of arrogance. This is a political stunt. They know they will not win in Bengal this time..." he said.