Jagannath Dham in Digha: Foreign tourist ‘footfall likely to cross 1L-mark’

Kolkata: The Jagannath Temple in Digha has rapidly emerged as a major spiritual and tourism hub, with officials estimating that the number of foreign tourists will cross one lakh within six months of its opening.

The projection reflects the growing global interest in Bengal’s religious and cultural destinations, particularly along the coastal circuit.

According to temple authorities, nearly 15,000 foreign visitors had already visited the shrine by the end of December. The footfall is expected to rise sharply during the upcoming Gaura Purnima celebrations and the Nabadwip-Dham parikrama, scheduled from February 19 to 26. A large section of international devotees participating in the parikrama is likely to include Digha in their itinerary for darshan of Lord Jagannath.

State Tourism minister Indranil Sen said West Bengal has now become the second most-visited state in India by foreign tourists, citing figures from the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025.

As per the data, the state recorded over 31 lakh foreign tourist arrivals till October 2025, placing it just behind Maharashtra. The minister attributed the growth to focused promotion of religious tourism and improved infrastructure.

The state government has allocated Rs 525.92 crore to further strengthen the tourism sector, with special emphasis on pilgrimage destinations. More than 400 religious sites across Bengal have been grouped into over 100 tourism circuits, with the Digha Jagannath Temple playing a key role in the coastal religious circuit.