Bhubaneswar: Citing concerns among millions of devotees of Shree Jagannath, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has written to his West Bengal counterpart, Suvendu Adhikari, urging him to drop the word ‘Dham’ from the ‘Digha Jagannath Dham’ complex in Purba Medinipur district.

In his letter, Majhi said naming the Jagannath Temple complex at Digha as ‘Digha Jagannath Dham’ has sparked concern among devotees, religious scholars, and various socio-cultural organisations.

He emphasised the term ‘Jagannath Dham’ is intrinsically linked to the sacred abode of Shree Jagannath at Puri, which is one of the revered Char Dhams of the country. “The nomenclature carries immense spiritual, historical, and cultural significance and occupies a unique place in the faith and consciousness of countless devotees,” Majhi stated.

The Chief Minister urged his counterpart to intervene and ensure an appropriate revision of the temple complex’s name by dropping the word ‘Dham’. He suggested an alternative such as ‘Shri Jagannath Temple, Digha’.

Majhi added such a step would further strengthen the enduring bonds of goodwill, cultural affinity, and mutual respect between the people of Odisha and West Bengal.

Earlier, Puri Lok Sabha MP Sambit Patra had written to the Odisha Chief Minister, requesting him to take up the matter with the West Bengal government.

Notably, Majhi had also written to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the same issue.
Interestingly, Suvendu Adhikari, during his tenure as Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, had supported Odisha’s objection to the use of the term ‘Dham’ for the Digha temple complex.

The Digha Jagannath temple complex was inaugurated on April 30, 2025. The shrine was constructed by the West Bengal government at an estimated cost of ₹250 crore during Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as Chief Minister.