Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra General Secretary Champat Rai announced Sunday that Ayodhya’s Ram Temple will no longer have a chief priest following the death of Acharya Satyendra Das. Responding to queries about a successor, Rai emphasized that no one matches Das’s age, respect, or scholarly stature.

“There won’t be any chief priest now. No one is of Satyendra Das’s caliber or has served as Hanumangarhi’s Mahant for so long,” Rai stated. He noted that Das, who served since 1993 for a modest Rs 100 monthly salary, was unparalleled. “Everyone now is young and new; calling anyone chief priest would be an exaggeration,” he added.

Das, who passed away on February 12, 2025, at age 83 in Lucknow’s SGPGIMS after a brain stroke, was a revered Hindu mahant. He became chief priest before the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition and remained a key figure in the temple’s history. Known for his accessibility, Das often shared insights with the media on Ayodhya and the Ram Temple. He also notably opposed a petition to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh.

Rai’s decision, discussed with Das six months prior, reflects the void left by the late priest’s decades of service and learning. The temple will now operate without a designated chief priest, marking the end of an era as younger priests take on responsibilities amid the evolving legacy of Ayodhya’s spiritual center.