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Key Points

A senior servitor of Puri's Jagannath Temple has strongly objected to a Campa Cola advertisement near the sacred site. The controversy erupted just before the annual Rath Yatra festival, sparking widespread outrage. Reliance Industries, which revived Campa Cola, now faces boycott calls over alleged religious insensitivity. Social media users accuse the brand of exploiting faith for marketing gains.

Key Points: Puri Temple Servitor Demands Action Against Reliance Campa Cola Ad

  • Temple servitor demands immediate removal of Campa Cola hoarding
  • Ad sparks outrage ahead of Rath Yatra
  • Reliance-owned brand faces #BoycottCampa backlash
  • Social media slams alleged religious exploitation
2 min read

Puri Jagannath Temple servitor seeks action against Reliance-owned Campa Cola ad

Senior servitor Ganeswar Mahasuar condemns Campa Cola ad near Jagannath Temple, calls it an insult to devotees' sentiments.

"Using Lord Jagannath's image for commercial gain is unacceptable and hurts devotees' faith - Ganeswar Mahasuar"

Bhubaneswar, June 26

A viral photo showing a 'Campa Cola' hoarding advertisement placed above a shop near the sacred Jagannath Temple, Puri, has triggered strong reactions from servitors and devotees.

Terming the incident as “deeply unfortunate and condemnable”, a senior servitor of the Jagannath Temple at Puri, Ganeswar Mahasuar, has urged immediate corrective action.

"Using the image of Lord Jagannath or associating commercial products like Campa Cola or any other brand with the sanctity of the temple is completely unacceptable. This is not just a mistake but an insult to the sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees around the world. We request that the concerned authorities and business establishments remove such hoardings immediately. If not, the temple administration will take strict action against those responsible," Mahasuar said on Thursday.

He further added, "Such acts hurt the faith of devotees. Whoever is behind this display is acting irresponsibly and with disregard for religious sentiment. Through you, I appeal to all not to repeat such mistakes in the future."

The controversy has sparked widespread public outrage, with many demanding that the sanctity of religious sites be preserved and kept free from commercial exploitation.

It is worth noting that Campa Cola, the once-iconic Indian soft drink brand recently revived by Reliance Industries, has been facing massive backlash online over hurting the religious sentiments of devotees of Lord Jagannath.

The hashtag #BoycottCampa is trending across the country after the brand allegedly used religious imagery related to Lord Jagannath in one of its advertisements.

The controversy erupted ahead of the main Rath Yatra procession, during which Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra will be taken out on their respective chariots on June 27.

Many users on the social media platform X have accused the company of hurting religious sentiments to promote its product.

The controversy quickly caught fire, with users slamming the brand for what they call a ‘marketing gimmick’ that disrespects religious beliefs.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is completely unacceptable! Our temples are not billboards for corporate advertising. Campa Cola should apologize immediately and remove all such hoardings. Jai Jagannath! 🙏
P
Priya M.
While I understand the outrage, we should also consider if this was intentional or just poor placement by local advertisers. Companies must be more sensitive, but let's not jump to boycott without proper facts.
A
Amit S.
Puri temple's sanctity must be maintained at all costs. But I wonder - are we equally concerned about the commercialization happening inside temple premises with various shops and paid services?
S
Sunita R.
As someone who visits Puri every year, this breaks my heart 💔. The temple area should have strict guidelines about advertisements. Corporate greed should not disrespect our faith.
V
Vikram J.
The timing before Rath Yatra makes this worse. Companies need cultural sensitivity training - what were they thinking? Hope temple administration takes strong action to prevent future incidents.
N
Neha P.
While the ad placement is inappropriate, the hashtag trend seems exaggerated. Instead of online outrage, we should focus on creating better regulations for areas around religious sites.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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