Mon May 05 08:20:06 UTC 2025: ## Puri Temple Official Faces Disciplinary Action Over Alleged Misuse of Sacred Wood
**Bhubaneswar, Odisha, May 5, 2025** – A senior servitor of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, faces disciplinary action after allegedly using sacred wood from the temple to create idols for a temple in Digha, West Bengal. Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, secretary of the Daitapati Nijog (a group of temple servitors), has been issued a show-cause notice by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
The notice cites Dasmohapatra’s contradictory statements regarding the use of the wood, which is considered sacred and reserved for temple repairs. He initially admitted to using the wood in an interview with a Bengali news channel, but later denied it to Odisha media. This has caused considerable anger among devotees.
The incident follows concerns over the West Bengal government’s labeling of the Digha temple as “Jagannath Dham” and the alleged use of Puri’s sacred wood in its construction. Odisha’s Law Minister had previously requested an inquiry into the matter. Dasmohapatra, who attended the Digha temple’s consecration ceremony with 55 other servitors, has seven days to respond to the notice. Failure to provide a satisfactory explanation will result in disciplinary action under the Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955. The SJTA’s investigation included questioning Dasmohapatra for 90 minutes on May 4th.
First Piper 