Ten days after attending the inauguration of a new Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal, a senior servitor from Odisha’s revered Puri Jagannath Temple has been suspended for a month.
The temple authorities cited a breach of discipline and violation of traditions as reasons for the suspension.
Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, a senior member of the Daitapati Nijog — the servitor group responsible for special rituals during the annual Rath Yatra — has been barred from entering the temple premises or participating in any rituals for 30 days.
The action was taken under the provisions of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, according to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee.
The suspension order also cautioned Dasmohapatra against attempting to influence or intimidate others, warning that any such action could result in an extension of the disciplinary period. His conduct during the suspension will be monitored.
“This measure has been taken to uphold discipline and protect the sanctity of the Jagannath Temple,” Padhee stated. “Any act of indiscipline will be dealt with firmly.”
Dasmohapatra had taken part in the consecration ceremony of the Digha temple on April 30. During a media interview in West Bengal, he claimed that the idols for the new temple were crafted using leftover sacred wood from the Nabakalebara rituals held in 2015 at the Puri shrine.
Nabakalebara is a highly revered event where the wooden idols of Lord Jagannath and his siblings are ceremonially replaced, occurring every 12 to 19 years based on astronomical calculations.
However, after backlash and confusion among devotees, Dasmohapatra retracted his statement, clarifying that the idols were not made from leftover Nabakalebara wood, although he had overseen their crafting.
An internal investigation by the temple administration confirmed that no such sacred wood was used for the Digha idols. Officials said the servitor’s contradictory statements caused confusion and hurt religious sentiments, damaging the reputation and sanctity of the 12th-century Puri shrine.
Following the initial show-cause notice issued on May 4, a second notice was sent on May 9. The SJTA demanded an explanation for his involvement in the consecration of the Digha temple, especially since it was named “Jagannath Dham.”
The naming of the Digha shrine has sparked controversy. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to reconsider the use of “Jagannath Dham,” arguing that it undermines the unique cultural and spiritual heritage of Puri.
Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri and chairman of the temple’s managing committee, echoed these concerns, stating that calling another temple “Jagannath Dham” goes against scriptural norms and age-old tradition.
The incident has once again highlighted the sensitivity surrounding religious customs and the importance of maintaining the sanctity of historic places of worship.
