20 lakh devotees visit Digha Jagannath Temple, ₹10 lakh donated in 12 days

A massive crowd of devotees continues to gather at the newly inaugurated Jagannath Temple in Digha, drawing lakhs of pilgrims since its opening on April 30. The temple, inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has become a major spiritual destination in just over two weeks.

According to the temple administration, around 20 lakh devotees have visited the temple in the first 15 days alone. In just 12 days, the temple has received over ₹10 lakh in donations, reflecting the deep faith and enthusiasm of the pilgrims.

Until now, only a single donation box was placed in front of the main idol, but due to the overwhelming number of visitors and increasing donations, the administration has decided to install 10 more steel donation boxes across the temple premises by next week.

Chief priest and temple trustee Radharaman Das shared that a standard operating procedure (SOP) has been implemented to ensure transparency and safety in managing the donations. Under this SOP, the donation box is opened every Tuesday in the presence of officials.

When the donation box was first opened on May 6, ₹4 lakh was found. The second opening, on May 13, yielded ₹5.8 lakh—of which ₹1.2 lakh was received in the form of coins. The volume and variety of donations reflect both mass participation and strong community involvement.

The new boxes, each measuring 42x18 inches and 32 inches in height, will be strategically placed at different locations within the temple. Each box will feature dual locks, and keys will be held by an executive magistrate-level officer to ensure secure and monitored access.