BHUBANESWAR: The newly inaugurated Jagannath temple at Digha in West Bengal has sparked a massive controversy over the purported use of Daru (neem wood) that had remained unused during the Holy Trinity’s Nabakalebara in Puri in 2015 for carving the deities, and naming the shrine as Jagannath Dham.Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Friday ordered an enquiry into the use of Daru in making the deities and the association of Srimandir servitors in its consecration ceremony.While the naming of the Digha temple as Jagannath Dham has caused a huge uproar, as the Srimandir in Puri finds place among the four Dhams, the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus in the country.Taking cognisance of the controversy, Harichandan said, “These things, particularly the talks around use of Nabakalebara Daru, are completely unacceptable and have become a matter of great concern for devotees of Lord Jagannath worldwide and the four crore people of Odisha. “The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has been directed to initiate an inquiry into all the allegations and anyone found guilty will face action under the provisions of law,” he added.
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