Bhubaneswar, June 10 -- A day after the West Bengal government announced that the word "Dham" would be removed from the Jagannath temple project in Digha, the decision was widely welcomed across Odisha. Political leaders, temple administrators and devotees described the move as a positive step that respects the religious sentiments associated with Lord Jagannath and the historic shrine in Puri.

The controversy had erupted over the use of the term "Dham" for the Digha temple project, with several organisations and individuals in Odisha arguing that the term holds a unique and sacred association with the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Following objections from Odisha, the West Bengal government decided to drop the term from the project nomencla...