Chief priest of Ram temple's consecration ceremony dies at 86

Acharya Laxmikant Dixit, the esteemed chief priest who led the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, breathed his last on Saturday morning at the age of 86. Family members confirmed that Dixit had been battling illness for the past few days, culminating in his demise. His final rites are scheduled to take place at Manikarnika Ghat.

Dixit played a pivotal role in the historic consecration ceremony of Lord Ram's idol at the Ayodhya temple on January 22, an event graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hailing from Solapur district in Maharashtra, Dixit's family has had deep roots in Varanasi for generations, where he was widely recognized as one of the city's senior scholars.

Expressing his condolences, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lamented Dixit's passing. In a statement shared on social media, Adityanath described Dixit as a distinguished scholar of Kashi and the chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Prana Pratishtha. He remarked, "The departure of Acharya Shri Laxmikant Dixit is an irreparable loss to the spiritual and literary world. He will always be remembered for his service to the Sanskrit language and Indian culture."

Adityanath concluded with a prayer, invoking Lord Shri Ram to grant eternal peace to Dixit's soul and to provide strength to his disciples and followers during this time of sorrow.