Shri Jagannath Temple Receives Intellectual Property Protection: A Historic First in India

Shri Jagannath Temple Receives Intellectual Property Protection: A Historic First in India

For the first time in the history of any temple in India, the administration of the Shri Jagannath Temple—located in the holy city of Puri, Odisha—has secured Intellectual Property (IP) protection for the sacred identities associated with the temple. This move is being hailed as a significant milestone in safeguarding the temple's religious, cultural, and spiritual heritage.

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The temple administration has secured wordmarks for two of the sacred terms.

¨     Patitapabana – the revered form of Lord Jagannath installed near the Singhadwara (Lion Gate), enabling darshan for devotees who are unable to enter the temple.

¨     Ananda Bajara – a place within the premises of the temple where Mahaprasad (sacred food offerings) is distributed to the devotees.

¨     It has also secured the logomark for ‘Neelachakra’, the sacred eight-spoked metal disc that sits atop the main spire of the temple, which is the official logo of the SJTA.

¨     The trademarks have been granted by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, providing legal protection to key symbols and identifiers associated with the Jagannath Temple tradition.

¨     The move aims to prevent unauthorized commercial use, misrepresentation, branding and misuse of sacred names and symbols linked to the temple.

Shree Jagannath Temple

¨     The Jagannath Temple is located in Puri, Odisha, and is one of the four sacred Char Dham pilgrimage sites of Hinduism.

¨     The temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, along with Balabhadra and Subhadra.

¨     Built in the 12th century CE by the Eastern Ganga ruler Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, it represents the Kalinga style of temple architecture.

¨     The Kalinga style of architecture is a regional school of the Nagara style, noted for its curvilinear sanctum tower (Rekha Deula), pyramidal assembly hall (Jagamohana), and richly sculpted stone structures typical of medieval Odisha temples.

¨     The temple is popularly known as the “White Pagoda”, while the Sun Temple at Konark is referred to as the “Black Pagoda.”

¨     It is renowned for the annual Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival), one of the largest and most significant religious processions in the world.

Trademark

¨     A trademark is an Intellectual Property Right (IPR) that protects a distinctive sign, word, name, logo, symbol, design or combination thereof used to distinguish the goods or services of one entity from another.

¨     In India, trademarks are governed by the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and administered by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks.

¨     Trademark registration grants the owner exclusive rights over the authorized use of the protected mark and enables legal action against unauthorized use, imitation or commercial exploitation.