The head priest at Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, Laxmikant Dixit.
Credit: X/@HeritageGuy7
Lucknow: Acharya Laxmikant Dixit, who had performed the role of the main priest at the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January this year, passed away at a hospital in Varanasi after protracted illness on Saturday.
According to Dixit's family members, 86-year-old Acharya, who had been admitted to the hospital following age-related complications, breathed his last around 6.45 in the morning. His mortal remains were consigned to flames at the Manikarnika Ghat on the bank of the Ganga in Varanasi later in the day.
Dixit, who was considered to be one of the greatest Vedic scholars, had led a team of 12 priests at the Ram Lalla consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the main 'yajamana'. Modi was seen touching Dixit's feet at the ceremony.
Modi condoled the death of Dixit. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said that Dixit was a renowned scholar and that his death was an irreparable loss for the society.
Dixit was counted among the senior scholars of Kashi. He hailed from Solapur district of Maharashtra, but his family had been living in Kashi (old name of Varanasi) for many generations. His ancestors were also priests in the princely states of Nagpur and Nashik. Dixit was a senior Acharya of Sangveda Mahavidyalaya located in Mirghat, Varanasi.
Many leaders including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma also condoled Acharya's death.
Adityanath said in a post that Dixit's death was an irreparable loss to the spiritual world.