Ayodhya Ram temple head priest passes away at 85

Uttar Pradesh: Mahant Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, died at a hospital here on Wednesday.

The 85-year-old was admitted to the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) earlier this month after he suffered a brain stroke. "Satendra Das ji, Chief Priest of Ram Mandir Ayodhya, breathed his last today. He was admitted to HDU (High Dependency Unit) of the neurology ward on February 3 with a stroke in critical condition," the hospital said.

He served as the head priest of the temple since he was 20 years old, including during the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. Das, who hailed from the Nirvani Akhara, was among the most accessible saints of Ayodhya and the go-to person for many media persons from across the country wanting information on Ayodhya and Ram temple developments.

He was barely nine months into his job as chief priest when the Babri mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992. After the demolition, Das continued to serve as the head priest when prayers were offered to the Ram Lalla idol under a makeshift tent.

Vishva Hindu Parishad’s Ayodhya-based spokesman Sharad Sharma condoled the demise of Das. "He was a widely respected figure and among those who knew the history of the Ayodhya movement by heart. We condole his death,” Sharma told PTI.