On February 12, the chief priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya, Acharya Satyendra Das, passed away at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow at the age of 83.
On February 3, Acharya Satyendra Das was admitted to the HDU of the Neurology ward in critical condition after he suffered a brain stroke a day earlier.
On the next day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited SGPGIMS to inquire about Acharya Satyendra Das’s health.
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
What do we know about Acharya Satyendra Das?
Das was the chief priest even on December 6, 1992, when the disputed structure, which many dubs as Babri Masjid, was demolished. He had shifted the idols to the nearby Fakire Mandir before the demolition, and after the demolition, he placed the idols in the makeshift temple at Ram Janmabhoomi. Satyendra Das has been serving as its chief priest since the consecration ceremony of Balak Ram in the newly constructed Mandir in Ayodhya.
Acharya Satyendra Das began work as the chief priest of the Ram Temple on March 1 1992, before the Babri demolition. After about 9 months, Kar Sevaks started Kar Seva in Ayodhya.
Acharya Satyendra Das played an active role in the Ram Mandir movement. Many of them had also taken a stand with Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal.
During this time, Acharya Satyendra Das came out after hiding Ramlala. He was successful in keeping the statue of Lord Ramlala safe. He served Ramlala from the Babri Masjid premises to the tent. Later, when Lord Ramlala came to his grand abode, he remained in the role of the chief priest.
Also Read: Empowering Women Through Temples: Ram Mandir’s Role in Economic Self-Sufficiency
Acharya Satyendra Das made his mark as the chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi. That saint was a resident of Kabirnagar. He was born on May 20 1945. However, he moved to Ayodhya when he was a child. Since childhood, Das has had great affection for Ram. Influenced by Guru Abhiram Das ji. Abhiram Das was the same saint who had claimed the appearance of the idols of Ram, Lakshman, Bharat, Shatrughan and Sita ji in the sanctum sanctorum of Ram Janmabhoomi on 22-23 December 1949. The further struggle was fought on the basis of these statutes. he took Sanyas. He left his home in 1958 to live in the ashram. When he informed his father about this, he also did not raise any objection.
Acharya Satyendra Das was associated with Ramlala temple for about 33 years. He was appointed as the Chief Archaka. He was also seen as the chief priest in the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, which was built after the order of the Supreme Court.
He obtained a degree in Acharya from Sanskrit Vidyalaya in 1975. After this, he started working as an assistant teacher in the grammar department of Sanskrit College.
Even while working as a teacher, he remained attached to the Ayodhya Ram temple. He kept visiting Ayodhya. In 1992, when he got a chance to work as the Chief Archak of Ram temple, he didn’t look back.
Acharya Satyendra Das celebrated the first anniversary of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya Temple on January 11. The chief priest described the celebrations as “very beautiful”.