A hoarding featuring a Campa Cola advertisement placed above a shop near the revered Jagannath Temple in Puri has stirred widespread outrage among servitors and devotees, who have termed the act as deeply offensive and disrespectful to religious sentiments.
Describing the incident as “deeply unfortunate and condemnable,” senior temple servitor Ganeswar Mahasuar demanded immediate removal of the ad and warned of strict action against those responsible.
“Using the image of Lord Jagannath or linking commercial products like Campa Cola with the sanctity of the temple is not just a misstep, it’s a direct insult to the devotion of millions of followers across the globe,” Mahasuar said on Thursday. “We urge the concerned authorities and the business involved to remove the advertisement without delay. Failing which, the temple administration will be compelled to take stringent action.”
He further stated, “Acts like these deeply wound the religious sentiments of devotees. Those behind such displays show a lack of respect and sensitivity. I appeal to all stakeholders to ensure such incidents are never repeated.” The backlash has been swift and widespread. Devotees and citizens alike have flooded social media platforms with criticism, calling for the preservation of religious sanctity and demanding a clear separation between sacred spaces and commercial promotions.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time, just ahead of the annual Rath Yatra festival scheduled for June 27, when Lord Jagannath, along with deities Balabhadra and Subhadra, are taken out in a grand chariot procession witnessed by lakhs of devotees.
Notably, Campa Cola—an iconic Indian soft drink brand recently revived by Reliance Industries—is facing a nationwide boycott campaign. The hashtag #BoycottCampa is trending online, with users accusing the company of exploiting religious imagery for profit and calling the ad campaign a “disrespectful marketing gimmick.” The company has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter. Meanwhile, public pressure continues to mount for the removal of the hoarding and a formal apology from the brand.
