Puri, Jun 10: In a significant move to protect the identity and heritage associated with the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) secured intellectual property (IP) approval for two temple-linked wordmarks -- ‘Ananda Bazaar’ and ‘Shree Patitapaban’ -- along with the official SJTA logo.

Temple administration officials said the approvals have been granted by Intellectual Property (IP) India, the country's intellectual property authority. The move is part of a broader initiative aimed at safeguarding names, symbols and identifiers intrinsically linked to the 12th-century shrine in Puri.

Two Temple-Linked Wordmarks Get Approval
The terms ‘Ananda Bazaar’, the revered marketplace within the temple complex where Mahaprasad is sold, and ‘Shree Patitapaban’, a name deeply associated with Lord Jagannath, received official protection along with the SJTA logo.

Approval Sought For 26 More Names
The Chief Administrator of SJTA, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, said, "Applications were filed for 29 identifiers associated with Jagannath culture and the Puri shrine, out of which two word marks and one logomark were approved by the patent office. IP India has reportedly sought further documentation and supporting details for the remaining 26 wordmarks."

Among the names for which protection has been sought is ‘Jagannath Dham’, a term that has remained at the centre of a prolonged controversy involving the naming of the Jagannath temple complex in Digha, West Bengal.

Move Linked To Protection Of Jagannath Heritage
Under intellectual property regulations, once a name, logo, or identifier receives legal protection, its unauthorised use, commercial exploitation, reproduction, sale or distribution by others can be challenged through legal channels.

The latest approvals are being viewed as part of the Odisha government's broader efforts to preserve the unique cultural and religious identity of the Puri Jagannath Temple.

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Digha ‘Jagannath Dham’ Row
The issue gained national attention after the Jagannath temple in Digha was named “Digha Jagannath Dham” by the Mamata Banerjee-led government following its inauguration in April last year. The nomenclature drew strong objections from Odisha, temple servitors, scholars and Jagannath devotees, who argued that Puri alone holds the traditional and scriptural status of “Jagannath Dham”.

Following renewed communication from Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the BJP-led West Bengal government recently decided to remove the word “Dham” from the Digha temple complex and rename the premises as the “Shri Shri Jagannath Cultural Centre”, while retaining the temple and its rituals.