Ayodhya's Ram temple to have no chief priest now after Acharya Satyendra Das' death, says Champat Rai

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra General Secretary, Champat Rai, said on Sunday that after the death of Acharya Satyendra Das, there will be no chief priest at the Ayodhya Ram Temple.

When asked about the appointment of a new chief priest, Rai said there is no one who can fill the slot of Das in terms of age, respect, and knowledge.

We asked Acharya Satyendra Das about it six months back. There won't be a chief priest anymore. No other person has served as long as he did as Mahant of Hanumangarhi," Rai said.

He also added, "Acharya Satyendra Das has been serving from 1993, drawing just Rs 100 as his salary every month. Now, every one is new and young; no one matches him in the knowledge. Refer to anyone as the Chief Priest would be magnifying."

The Legacy of Acharya Satyendra Das
Acharya Satyendra Das was a well-respected Hindu mahant and had even been the chief priest of Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Temple prior to the December 6, 1992, demolition of the Babri Masjid.

Much respected in religious and media circles, he was admired for his access and profound understanding of Ayodhya's spiritual and historical aspects. He was one of the earliest Hindu seers to denounce the petition calling for a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh.

Das died on February 12 at the age of 83 at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow. He was admitted on February 3 after a brain stroke.

"Satyendra Das ji, Chief Priest of Ram Mandir Ayodhya, passed away today. He was brought to the HDU (High Dependency Unit) of the Neurology ward on 3 February in a critical condition after a stroke," the hospital stated.

With his death, the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust has resolved to pay tribute to his legacy by not filling his position as chief priest, ending an era of spiritual leadership at the temple.