Odisha CM Mohan Majhi Felicitated in Puri After West Bengal Drops ‘Dham’ Tag From Digha Temple

16 Jun 2026, 12:00 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi pulled off a big win this week after stepping in to get the word “Dham” dropped from a new Jagannath temple in West Bengal. The victory led to a huge felicitation at Puri’s town hall on Monday, with the Shri Jagannath Bhakta Seva Sansthan organizing a gathering of leading saints, senior temple servitors, and a crowd of thousands. The gathering formally credited the Chief Minister defending Odisha’s spiritual sovereignty.

The high-profile event drew active participation from several prominent regional leaders—Jagatsinghpur’s MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai, Pipili MLA Ashrit Pattanayak, Puri MLA Sunil Kumar Mohanty, Brahmagiri MLA Upasana Mahapatra, and Satyabadi MLA Om Prakash Mishra all came out in support. Chief Minister Majhi used the occasion to call out those who, in his words, tried to use Mahaprabhu Jagannath’s name for political gain or acted with arrogance. He said the recent elections showed that such behavior leads to direct consequences.

The controversy began when the suffixing of “Dham” to the Digha temple caused widespread distress among religious scholars, socio-cultural groups, and global devotees. Both Majhi and Puri MP Sambit Patra were firm: age-old scriptures and tradition only recognize Puri as the one true Shree Jagannath Dham. To settle things, the Odisha government acted fast—Patra led direct talks with West Bengal’s new leadership and secured the name change. Patra stressed that while Odisha welcomes the new Digha temple, Puri’s spiritual status stays untouched.

Majhi also talked about what his government stands for. He promised that his administration will always protect Jagannath culture and temple traditions. He described Mahaprabhu Jagannath as Odisha’s real ruler, calling the Chief Minister’s role just a way to serve people. Majhi pointed to ongoing welfare programs, especially the Shri Jagannath Darshan Yojana, which gives poor and elderly devotees a chance to visit Puri, see the temple, and cherish Mahaprasad.