Servitor questioned over 'use' of Puri Jagannath temple sacred wood to make idols in Digha shrine

Dasmohapatra, who is known as Rajesh Daitapati in West Bengal, was also asked questiones like who keeps the keys of the “Daru Gruha”, the store room in the Puri temple where sacred wood are kept, and whether ‘Brahma’ installation was made at Digha temple. ’Brahma’ is a material considered to be the soul of Lord Jagannath, which is transferred from the old idol to a new one during the ’Nabakalebara’ ritual.

Dasmohapatra and another senior member of the Daitapati Nijog, who appeared before the SJTA, did not take questions from reporters. Dasmohapatra, however, said on May 2 that he attended the consecration ceremony at Digha temple following an invitation from ”his disciple Mamata Banerjee” denied telling a Bengali news channel that wood from the Puri temple was used for idol making there.He had also clarified that he had taken idols made of neem wood to Digha, but it was not the “Daru Gruha.” During questioning, the SJTA chief administrator who is also an IAS officer also wanted to know why he was making contradictory statements.The SJTA has also issued notices to all the servitors unions seeking their opinion on the issue, an official said.

At least two complaints were filed with the police in Puri over the alleged theft of sacred wood from the ’Daru Gruha’ for making idols installed in Digha temple. Leaders of various political parties have reacted over the issue.Senior BJP leader of West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari said in an X post: ”The questionable involvement of Servitors, and the unauthorised use of surplus Sacred Wood are directly affront to ethics and morality surrounding the Jagannath Culture and centuries long traditions,” The leader of the opposition in the neighbouring state welcomed the Odisha government’s decision to probe into the matter.

"The West Bengal Government have stooped to a new low with their deceitful tactics, officially labeling the Digha Project as the ’Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre’ in documents, but promoting it as a ’Jagannath Temple’ to mislead devotees and exploit their faith,” Adhikari alleged in the post.Odisha’s main opposition party BJD also denounced projecting Digha temple as a “Jagannath Dham”.

“Projecting Digha Temple as a Dham has hurt the sentiments of people. There should not be another Jagannath Dham besides Puri,” BJD deputy leader in Assembly Prasanna Acharya said.When contacted, Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das told PTI: “I am not an expert in religious matter. Let us seek the opinion of Puri Shankaracharya and Gajapati Maharaj. They are authorised to speak on the subject and not politicians like us. We are just devotees of the Lord and not spiritual masters.” About the alleged theft of sacred wood of Puri temple, the Congress leader said one has to verify facts and later make allegations. “Is there any restriction on the use of the surplus wood of the temple or not. I do not have any idea. It all depends of the faith,” he said.