This temple is for all irrespective of their caste & creed, says Mamata
Digha: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday inaugurated the Jagannath Dham Temple in the popular tourist destination of Digha while directing the Information and Cultural Affairs department to take measures for sending the ‘prasad’ and the temple photograph to every household in the state.
“I believe this temple will be a unique site of religious pilgrimage along the sea coast for thousands of years. This temple is for all irrespective of their caste and creed. ‘Sabare Kori Ahaban’ (Everyone is welcome),” said Banerjee, quoting lines of the bard Rabindranath Tagore.
Banerjee said: “We have received full support from the local people. We are thankful to the celebrities, the industry captains, for being part of this inaugural programme. Representatives from the Sanatan trust, Adyapith, Dakshineshwar, Belur Math, Kalighat, Joyrambati- Kamarpukur, Daityapati from Puri temple in Odisha, priests from ISKCON temple, all have come. It took three years to build the temple. I am thankful to HIDCO (Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation), the execution agency for temple construction. The engineers and labourers who worked tirelessly to create such an architectural marvel deserves special praise. Total of 500 trees have been planted inside the temple premises,” she added.
Banerjee handed over a golden broom to the ISKCON authorities who will be managing the temple. Mirroring the design of the original Jagannath Temple in Puri, the Digha Dham incorporates key architectural elements such as the Singhadwar, Byaghradwar, Hastidwar, and Ashwadwar. The temple complex also includes a dedicated shrine for Goddess Lakshmi and a separate Bhogshala for preparing sacred offerings to Lord Jagannath.
“Bhog will be cooked every day and distributed among the pilgrims. The ISKCON which will be managing the functioning of the temple will arrange for the bhog. Shops are being set up for goja, peda and khaja (sweets) which will be offered as prasad of Lord Jagannath,” said Banerjee . Earlier in the day, consecration (pran pratisha) of the Lord Jagannath idol was performed by the priests of Puri’s Jagannath temple led by its chief shebait, Rajesh Daityapati. ISKCON priests did the consecration.
Bhoga mandap, Nata mandap, Jagamohan and Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) have been constructed similar to the 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Spread across 20 acres, the temple is made from exquisite pink sandstone sourced from Rajasthan. More than 800 skilled artisans from the state contributed their craftsmanship. Constructed in the traditional Kalinga architectural style, the grand structure, developed by the state government at a cost of Rs 250 crore.
