Major Political and religious tensions are flaring in West Bengal. The citizens of Odisha are questioning the use of Nabakalebara wood in West Bengal’s new Jagannath temple. A fresh controversy has erupted in West Bengal. This follows the inauguration of the newly built Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal. The temple was named Jagannath Dham. This comes after allegations surfaced that sacred wood from the centuries-old Puri Jagannath Temple’s Nabakalebara ritual was diverted for crafting the idols.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Odisha questioned Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, a senior servitor and secretary of the Daitapati Nijog, over his reported involvement in the consecration of the Digha temple’s idols.
According to reports, the ritual wood is preserved in a storeroom known as Daru Gruha within the Puri temple premises. The wood is meant strictly for rituals associated with the temple in Odisha. The last Nabakalebara ceremony took place in 2015. The sacred event is held every 12 or 19 years to renew the deities’ wooden forms.
Mamata Banerjee Denies allegations
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded to the allegations. She firmly dismissed the charge of using wood from Odisha. Speaking in Murshidabad on Monday, she said, “Why would we use stolen neem wood? We have our own sources of neem wood. These allegations are completely baseless and unacceptable.”
Banerjee also questioned the motive behind the backlash, asking, “Is it a crime to build a Jagannath temple in Bengal?” Banerjee countered by highlighting religious pluralism, saying, “There are Kaali temples and gurudwaras across the country. Why can’t we have a Jagannath temple in Bengal? We respect the Puri temple and also our own.” She accused political opponents of fuelling the controversy for partisan gains.
Dispute Over Temple’s Name: ‘Jagannath Dham’
Jagannath Dham, the name of the temple has also become a point of contention. Critics, including Puri MP and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, have argued that only the Puri temple holds the right to the title “Dham”. He further stated that Dham is traditionally reserved for the four sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites.
“I strongly object to one thing. There is only one Jagannath Dham in the world, and it is not possible to call any other place Jagannath Dham because there is no other place,” said Patra. The Odisha government announced plans to formally request the West Bengal government to refrain from using the term “Jagannath Dham” for the Digha temple.
Banerjee countered by highlighting religious pluralism, saying, “There are Kaali temples and gurudwaras across the country. Why can’t we have a Jagannath temple in Bengal? We respect the Puri temple and also our own.”
Mamata Alleges Attacks on Bengali Workers in Odisha
Amid tensions over the temple Mamata Banerjee also raised concerns about alleged attacks on migrant workers from Bengal in Odisha. She claimed that even people speaking Bengali were being targeted.
“People from Odisha work peacefully in Bengal, and the same should happen for Bengalis in Odisha. We will not tolerate attacks on our people,” she asserted, adding that the state DGP would speak with his Odisha counterpart.
