Rath Jatra

Is Mamata Banerjee's embrace of Lord Jagannath the latest counter to the BJP's Ram-centric politics?

- Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi took his place as pradhan yajman (patron-in-chief) at the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya last year. The political messaging was clear. Sixteen months later, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee found herself in a similar position; this time at the inauguration of a state-funded Jagannath temple in Digha, Bengal's most visited beach town. She, too, was pradhan yajman. The role was familiar to the one assayed by Modi at Ayodhya. So was the symbolism.

At Puri—known for its iconic Rath Yatra visited by millions every year—the annual yatra begins with the well-worn tradition of the Gajapati king sweeping the road with a golden broom. At Digha, Banerjee took up the golden broom herself. The “Jai Jagannath” chant filled the air. The who's who of the state administration were present to ensure smooth conduct, particularly crowd management. Devotees of ISKCON, including foreigners, joined in large numbers. The West Bengal-headquartered group handles key temple duties. Monks from other Hindu institutions also participated. Didi, as Banerjee is popularly called, looked pleased with her success in establishing a grand temple and introducing a new festival, the Digha Rath Yatra. She enjoys flaunting her knowledge and understanding of religion, her devoutness and her work for the promotion of Hindu festivals and pilgrimage sites. Now, she seems to have found a new political weapon in Lord Jagannath to blunt the BJP’s campaign branding her as anti-Hindu and pro-Muslim.

On social media platforms and even on banners put up along street-sides, her supporters hailed Banerjee as the first lady after Rani Rashmani, who founded the iconic Dakshineshwar Kali temple in the nineteenth century.

The Digha Jagannath temple is a replica of the Puri Jagannath temple. Formally called the Digha Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra, it cost the state exchequer Rs 250 crore.