Puri Jagannath Temple Committee Moves to Patent Sacred Terms and Logo Amid Dispute with West Bengal

Puri (The Uttam Hindu): The 12th-century Shri Jagannath Temple Management Committee (SJTMC) in Puri, Odisha, has taken a significant step. The committee decided on Monday to patent certain specific terms and the 'logo' associated with the temple. This decision comes amid an ongoing controversy with West Bengal over naming a temple in Digha as “Dham”.

The proposal was unanimously approved in a meeting chaired by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Dibyasingha Deb. Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Chief Administrator of the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabinda Padhee, Puri District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain, and Puri SP Vineet Agrawal, along with several ex-officio members, were present at the meeting.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, SJTA Chief Administrator Padhee said that the SJTA will soon apply for patents on terms such as *“Mahaprasad”* (the sacred offering), *“Shrimandir”* (the temple), *“Shri Jagannath Dham”* (the abode of Lord Jagannath), *“Shreekhetra”*, and *“Purushottam Dham”*. He confirmed that a resolution in this regard has been passed by the SJTMC.

Padhee emphasized that patenting these specific terms and logos related to the Jagannath Temple would provide legal protection to its cultural, religious, and spiritual identity. He said the move is intended to prevent the misuse and unauthorized use of this centuries-old spiritual terminology.

Regarding the ongoing dispute with the West Bengal government over the alleged misuse of the term “Jagannath Dham,” Padhee said the issue would be resolved amicably between the two state governments.

Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, who chaired the meeting, firmly stated that the West Bengal government cannot use the term “Jagannath Dham” for its temple in Digha. He said such usage goes against Hindu scriptures and the centuries-old traditions associated with Lord Jagannath. In response to a question, he reiterated that the matter should be resolved amicably between the two state governments.