Pandit Laxmikant Mathuranath Dixit, the chief priest who led the Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya in January this year, passed away at the age of 86, on Saturday at 6:45 AM.
A vedic scholar from Varanasi, he was well-known for his devotion towards the Hindu community, Sanskrit language, and the Indian culture. The scholar was chosen to lead a team of 121 scholars from aa the branches of the Vedas to solemnise the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya.
It is said that he was a descendant of the distinguished Kashi scholar Gaga Bhatt of the 17th century. Bhatt was the one who headed the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj around 350 years ago in 1674.
PM Modi Expresses Condolences
Upon receiving news about the death of the chief priest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences and posted on X: "I received the sorrowful news of the demise of Lakshmikant Dixit Ji, the eminent scholar of the country and the Yajurveda teacher at the Sangveda School. Dixit Ji was a renowned figure in the scholarly tradition of Kashi."
Recalling his meeting with the priest, PM Modi further wrote: "I had the privilege of his company during the inauguration ceremonies of Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the Ram Temple. His passing is an irreplaceable loss to society."
'Irreplaceable Loss To Spiritual & Literary World': Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath also condoled the death of Acharya Dixit and wrote on X: "The passing of Vedamurti, Acharya Shri Lakshmikant Dixit Ji, the erudite scholar of Kashi and the chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi consecration, is an irreplaceable loss to the spiritual and literary world."
UP CM Yogi also said that Dixit will always be remembered for his service to the Sanskrit language and Indian culture.
"We pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed virtuous soul a place at His feet and to give his disciples and followers the strength to bear this grief," he added.