Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Ramlala temple in Ayodhya, died here at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute (SGPGI) on Wednesday morning. He was 80.
The saint breathed his last at 7 am. On 3 February, he was referred from Ayodhya to Lucknow after he suffered a brain hemorrhage.
The body of Acharya Satyendra Das will be brought to Ayodhya and kept for the last darshan at his Ashram, Satya Dham Gopal temple.
Acharya Satyendra Das has been serving as a chief priest in Ramjanmabhoomi for the past 32 years.
On 6 December 1992, during the Babri demolition, he ran away with the small idol of Ramlalla which was later re-installed in the ‘garbha-griha’ (sanctum sanctorum).
Satyendra Das was born on May 20, 1945, in Sant Kabir Nagar district, 98 km from Ayodhya. He lived a life of devotion since childhood and visited Ayodhya with his father.
His father used to visit Abhiram Das ji’s ashram in Ayodhya. Satyendra Das also started coming to Abhiram’s ashram. Satyendra Das left home in 1958.
The departed sant is survived by two brothers while his sister has passed away.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the demise. In his condolence message, he said,” The death of Param Rambhakt, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Shri Ayodhya Dham’s chief priest Acharya Shri Satyendra Kumar Das Ji Maharaj is an irreparable loss to the spiritual world. Humble tributes!”
“I pray to Lord Shri Rama to give the departed soul a place at his feet and give the power to the bereaved disciples and followers to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti,” he wrote on social media.