On the auspicious occasion of Akshay Trithiya, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal.
A replica of the 12th-century shrine in Puri, the pran pratistha was performed at the 65-metre tall mandir, the construction for which began in 2022, on April 30.
Built on around 24 acres of land using red sandstone quarried from Bansi Paharpur in Rajasthan, the Jagannath Temple at Digha, also known as Jagannath Dham, is an "architectural marvel, a mixture of intricate carvings and traditional design,” an official said.
Digha, like Puri, borders the sea.
IMAGE: West Bengal Mamata Banerjee visits the Digha Jagannath Temple ahead of its inauguration. All photographs: ANI Photo
IMAGE: Like the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the newly built Jagannath temple in Digha is divided into four mandaps (halls) -- the Vimana, which is the garbha griha or sanctum sanctorum, the Jagamohan, the nat mandir (dance hall) and the bhog mandap, said the official.
IMAGE: "This temple will definitely add a new feather to the state's cap. Digha will grow into an international tourist attraction. This will serve as a place of harmony," said the chief minister.
IMAGE: Devotees visiting the temple would be given gamchas (rectangular piece of traditional coarse cotton cloth) to protect the body from heat, officials said.
IMAGE: "At the maha yajna, around 100 quintals of aam kath (mango wood) and bael kath (bilva wood) would be used," the official said before the yajna.
IMAGE: "Sacred water from various pilgrimage destinations has already been brought to the temple for the rituals," the official added.
IMAGE: "Two quintals of ghee will be used."
IMAGE: The West Bengal government is planning to hold "an annual rath yatra as well," said the official. It will be similar to the grand religious event held in Odisha's Puri every year, he said, and the first such yatra is likely to be organised in June.
“The chariots that will be used in the rath yatra of the deities have already been built and kept ready,” he told PTI.
“We have built three chariots similar to the ones in Puri, after consultations with the Jagannath temple authorities there.”
The Puri rath yatra will be held on June 27 this year.
“The chariots that will be used in the rath yatra of the deities have already been built and kept ready,” he told PTI.
“We have built three chariots similar to the ones in Puri, after consultations with the Jagannath temple authorities there.”
The Puri rath yatra will be held on June 27 this year.
IMAGE: The Jagannath Dham has been developed by the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation at a cost of nearly Rs 250 crore.
IMAGE: An artist dressed as Lord Shiva poses in front of the Digha Jagannath temple.
IMAGE: An illuminated view of the temple.
IMAGE: The day-to-day activities of the Digha Jagganath temple will be managed by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
IMAGE: The town of Digha was decked with lights for the inauguration.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
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