Puri Gajapati urges ISKCON to resolve Digha temple row
Bhubaneswar: Puri's titular king, Dibyasingha Deb, on Wednesday urged the ISKCON to convince the Digha Temple Trust Board to remove the term 'Jagannath dham' from the newly consecrated temple in the coastal town in West Bengal.
In a letter to Shree Goverdhan Das Prabhu, Chairman of ISKCON Governing Body Commission, Mayapur, the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri said Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati Maharaj of Govardhan Peeth (Puri) and Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati Maharaj of Jyotish Peeth (Joshimath) have categorically declared that only 'Purushottama-kshetra' Puri is 'Jagannath dham' and that no other temple or place should be called as such.
Stating that ISKCON plays a key role in performing rituals at Digha's Jagannath temple, Deb, the first servitor of Lord Jagannath in Puri, said, 'Having regard to participation of ISKCON representatives in the trust board of Digha Jagannath temple, I request you to use your good offices to convince the Digha Temple Trust Board to desist from using the word 'dham' with reference to Shree Jagannath Temple at Digha.'
'As you (ISKCON) are well aware, the most revered Shankaracharyas are the highest religious authorities in Sanatana Vaidika Dharma. Moreover, Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth is the 'Adi Guru' and 'Parama Guru' in the tradition and culture of Lord Jagannath,' he said. The Muktimundupa Pundita Sabha in Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri has stated, citing relevant scriptural declarations, that Shree Jagannath Temple in Digha cannot be called 'Jagannath dham', he mentioned in the letter.
Meanwhile, a video released by Govardhan Peeth, Puri showed Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati, who is currently touring Punjab, saying: 'Lord Brahma had first installed Shree Jagannath idol in Puri Temple. Later, Adi Shankaracharya again installed the 'Daru' (wooden) idols of Lord Jagannath.'
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