ISKCON Clarifies Its Role Amid Controversy Over Digha's Jagannath Temple Naming

ISKCON's Limited Role in Digha Temple Naming

Bhubaneswar: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has stated that it is not involved in the decision to label the newly constructed Jagannath Temple in Digha, West Bengal, as a 'Dham'. Their primary focus remains on conducting worship and rituals.

A senior official from ISKCON clarified that the organization is merely one of the 27 trustees of the Digha temple trust and does not hold significant sway over its operations.

The temple was inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30, who referred to it as a 'Jagannath Dham', igniting a debate. The Odisha government, along with two Shankaracharyas, has asserted that only the historic Jagannath temple in Puri can be designated as a Dham.

On May 7, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri and chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC), sent a letter to Shree Goverdhan Das Prabhu, the chairman of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission in Mayapur, urging the removal of the 'Dham' designation from the Digha temple.

As the first servitor of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Deb's request carries weight. In response to receiving the letter, ISKCON's communication director, Premananda Das, emphasized their limited involvement.

Das explained that ISKCON's responsibilities are confined to performing puja and related rituals at the Digha temple. He noted that among the 27 trustees of the Jagannath Dham Trust, only one member is affiliated with ISKCON, while the rest include representatives from various communities and officials appointed by the West Bengal government.

He further mentioned that the Jagannath Dham Trust was established over three years ago, well before the temple's construction in Digha, and ISKCON was added as a member at a later stage.

Das expressed that ISKCON does not have the authority to remove the term 'Dham' from the temple's name and suggested that the governments of West Bengal and Odisha should engage in discussions to resolve the matter.

An ISKCON delegation recently approached the Odisha government to seek permission for distributing 'prasad' during the upcoming Rath Yatra festival in Puri, which is set to take place from June 25 to July 7. They plan to serve 'prasad' to approximately 700,000 to 800,000 devotees, utilizing their own kitchen and distributing it at busy locations such as bus stands, railway stations, and beaches.