After ‘Jagannath Dham’ debate, Puri temple secures trademark protection for sacred names & symbols

    12-Jun-2026 14:55:59 PM   
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On June 11, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has secured trademark protection for two sacred names associated with the Puri Jagannath Temple and its official logo.

The approvals were granted by Intellectual Property (IP) India on June 11, 2026. Out of 29 trademark applications filed by the temple administration, three have been approved so far. These include the word marks "Ananda Bazaar" and "Shripatitapavan", along with the official logo of the SJTA.
 
jagannath temple 
 
Temple officials said the move is aimed at preventing misuse and commercial exploitation of sacred names and symbols associated with Shri Jagannath and the centuries old temple tradition.
 
"Shripatitapavan" refers to the form of Shri Jagannath visible to devotees from outside the temple premises. "Ananda Bazaar" is the area inside the temple where devotees receive and consume the Mahaprasad.
 
The temple administration has also secured protection for its official logo, which features the sacred Neelachakra, the eight spoked metal disc installed atop the main spire of the Jagannath Temple.
 
 
According to officials, the remaining 26 trademark applications are still under examination. The patent and trademark authorities have sought additional documents and clarifications before taking a final decision.
 
The pending applications include several names and identifiers deeply linked to Jagannath culture and Puri's religious heritage. Among them are Jagannath Dham, Srimandir, Purusottam Kshetra, Shreekshetra, Bada Danda, and Mahaprasad.

Bhagwan jagannath 
The development comes after the controversy surrounding the naming of the Digha Jagannath Temple in West Bengal as Jagannath Dham. The issue sparked a debate over whether the term "Jagannath Dham" should be used exclusively for Puri, one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites.
 
 
SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said that "Jagannath Dham" historically refers to Puri, the original and sacred seat of Shri Jagannath. He also welcomed the West Bengal government's decision to remove the word "Dham" from the Digha temple's name.
 
 

"The West Bengal government decided to remove the name 'Dham' from the Digha Jagannath Temple. We thank them and express our gratitude for the efforts of the state government in this regard," Padhee said.

Apart from trademark protection, the temple administration is also taking steps to tackle cyber fraud related to the shrine. Officials said action is being taken against fake websites and misleading online booking platforms operating in the name of Jagannath Temple guest houses.


Puri Jagannath Temple trademark Patitapabana Ananda Bajara Neelachakra symbol Jagannath Dham
Shashank Dwivedi

Shashank Dwivedi

Shashank Dwivedi holds a PhD in Political Communication and brings rich experience in research and journalism. He has been associated with ETV Bharat and Organiser Weekly. His areas of interest include politics, welfare, education, law, culture and society.