Priest who led Ram Lalla's 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony dies
What's the story
Pandit Laxmikant Dixit, who led the "Pran Pratistha" ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, passed away on Saturday. He breathed his last in the holy city of Varanasi.
The 86-year-old priest made headlines this year when he led a team of 121 scholars from all branches of the Vedas from around the country to solemnize the Ramlalla Pran Pratishtha ceremony in January.
Twitter Post
Video from Varanasi
VIDEO | Pandit Laxmikant Dixit, who led Ayodhya Ram Temple 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony, passed away in Varanasi earlier today
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 22, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/cUrFCsMThM
Yogi
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath offers condolences
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is himself a monk, took to X to offer condolences.
"The passing of..chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Pran Pratishtha, Vedmurti Acharya Shri Lakshmikant Dixit Ji, is an irreplaceable loss to the spiritual and literary world," he wrote.
He added that Acharya Dixit will be remembered for his contributions to the Sanskrit language and Indian culture.
Who is
Who is Acharya Dixit
Per reports, Acharya Dixit was a Vedic Karma Kanda (ritualism) scholar who specialized in Srauta, Smarta, Yajna, and consecration, among others.
He belonged to the lineage of 'Shivaji' scholars, descended from Pandit Gaga Bhatt, a 17th-century scholar from Kashi.
Pandit Bhatt is believed to have performed the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as head of Hindavi Swarajya, or the independent Maratha state, in 1674.