In a bid to preserve centuries-old rituals of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the Odisha government is taking steps to secure copyright protection over its traditional practices. The move follows concerns raised by Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb over alleged violations by ISKCON’s overseas branches, which conduct Rath Yatra and Snan Yatra on dates not aligned with Puri’s calendar.
Deb also criticised the West Bengal government for calling a newly inaugurated temple in Digha ‘Jagannath Dham,’ calling it a breach of tradition. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi has written to his West Bengal counterpart, urging a reconsideration of the naming.
The state is consulting legal experts to prevent unauthorized adaptations of temple rituals. Meanwhile, the Jagannath Temple Managing Committee remains inactive due to pending nominations, prompting calls for urgent government intervention.
