Puri, May 2 (UNI) Servitors of the Sri Jagannath Temple have came down heavily on Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, Secretary of the Daitapati Nijog, for supplying and installing the Daru Bigrahas (sacred wooden idols) of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Mahalaxmi at the Digha Jagannath Temple on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.

The temple, a replica of the Puri Jagannath Temple, was inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the priests performing the consecration rituals.

The controversy surfaced after Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra stated in an interview with a Bengal TV channel that he had advised the Chief Minister to install Neem Daru deities instead of stone idols—a suggestion she reportedly accepted. Following her approval, he arranged for the Daru Bigrahas to be provided.

Dasmahapatra also reportedly mentioned that during the 2015 Nabakalebara—a grand ritual involving the replacement of the deities’ wooden forms—the Daitapatis had collected Daru (sacred Neem trees) under the guidance of Devi Mangala of Kakatpur. After the idols were carved, some wood remained. Using a portion of this leftover Daru, Dasmahapatra had new idols carved and installed at the Digha temple.

This revelation shocked devotees and fellow servitors, as it was alleged that a portion of the original Daru associated with Lord Jagannath had been taken to Digha. The issue quickly went viral on social media, where Dasmahapatra faced widespread condemnation for participating in the Digha temple inauguration.

Earlier, several prominent Nijogs (servitor associations) had issued a directive barring their members from participating in rituals at the Digha Jagannath Temple. They even warned that violators could face strict action, including expulsion from the association. However, the associations clarified that visiting the temple as a devotee was not restricted.

Despite this, Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra—who also serves as Secretary of the Nijog—participated in the inauguration, defying the directive. Durga Charan Dasmahapatra, a former chief of the Daitapati Nijog, condemned his actions and stated that the issue would be discussed at the next Nijog meeting.

Binayak Dasmahapatra, a senior Daitapati, questioned whether Ramakrushna could have accessed the sacred Darus from the temple’s storeroom, where they are securely kept for future contingencies. He suggested it would be nearly impossible to obtain them from that location.

Nilakantha Badapanda also criticized Ramakrushna’s actions. Many servitors expressed concern that this controversy—especially in the wake of the Brahma Parivartan mishap of 2015, which cast doubt on the entire Daita community—could further damage the community’s reputation. Other servitor groups are reportedly reacting with caution.

In response to the growing backlash on social media, Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra held a press conference on Friday to refute the allegations.

He strongly criticized the electronic media for spreading misinformation and clarified that the Bigrahas he provided were made from ordinary Neem wood, not from the sacred Daru.

However, he was challenged on why he did not oppose the naming of the Digha temple as “Jagannath Dham.”

Ramakrushna acknowledged that naming any temple outside Puri as “Jagannath Dham” is not appropriate.

He stated that the Odisha government should coordinate with its West Bengal counterpart to change the temple’s name. Under pressure from reporters, he agreed to raise the matter with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and insisted he had done nothing wrong.

Meanwhile, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said the matter had reached the Chief Minister’s attention and assured that no one found guilty of disrespecting Lord Jagannath would be spared.

The controversy continues to escalate as both devotees and servitors become increasingly involved. The Digha Jagannath Temple, constructed in West Bengal on a 24-acre coastal site resembling Puri, stands 213 feet tall—nearly matching the 214-foot height of the original Puri temple.

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