Acharya Satyendra Das, the head priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, died at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow at the age of 83. The hospital officially announced the death in a media release.
The statement says that he was admitted to the Neurology ward’s High Dependency Unit (HDU) on February 3 in serious condition after a February 2 brain stroke. Notwithstanding medical treatment, he died in the hospital.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath Condoles the Loss
Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, posted his condolences on social media channel X. He said, “The passing of the great devotee of Lord Ram, Acharya Shri Satyendra Kumar Das Ji Maharaj, main priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Shri Ayodhya Dham, is very devastating and an irreplaceable blow to the spiritual sphere.” Lowly offering!”
परम रामभक्त, श्री राम जन्मभूमि मंदिर, श्री अयोध्या धाम के मुख्य पुजारी आचार्य श्री सत्येन्द्र कुमार दास जी महाराज का निधन अत्यंत दुःखद एवं आध्यात्मिक जगत की अपूरणीय क्षति है। विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि!
प्रभु श्री राम से प्रार्थना है कि दिवंगत पुण्यात्मा को अपने श्री चरणों में स्थान दे…
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 12, 2025
The UP CM visited SGPGIMS on February 4 to check on Acharya Satyendra Das’s health and to say, “The demise of the supreme devotee of Lord Ram, Acharya Shri Satyendra Kumar Das Ji Maharaj, the chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Shri Ayodhya Dham, is extremely sad and an irreparable loss to the spiritual world. Humble tribute!.”
Key Role in Ram Janmabhoomi Movement
The Ram Janmabhoomi movement depended heavily on Acharya Satyendra Das. The chief minister was serving as the head priest when the Babri Masjid was knocked down on December 6, 1992. Before the buildings came down, he moved the idols to the adjacent Fakires Mandir. Later, these idols were arranged in the temporary temple in Ram Janmabhoomi.
He has been acting chief priest, leading rites and ceremonies since the consecration of the new Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Early Life and Path to Enlightenment
Born of a line of priests, Acharya Satyendra Das studied ancient Vedic scriptures and rites. From 20, he devoted his life to spiritual work as a Nirvani Akhara member. His opposition to the petition asking for the banning of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, one of the first Hindu priests to do so, shows his dedication to religious harmony.
The passing of Acharya Satyendra Das signals an age in the religious and spiritual scene of Ayodhya coming to an end. Besides his years of service, millions of worshippers will remember his work in the Ram Janmabhoomi initiative.
