Head Priest Of Ram Temple In Ayodhya Critical After Brain Stroke

The head priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya has suffered a brain stroke and is in a critical condition at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), the hospital said on Monday. Mahant Satyendra Das, 85, was shifted to the SGPGI on Sunday after initial treatment.

"Shri Satyendra Das ji is suffering from a stroke. He is diabetic and hypertensive. He was admitted to SGPGI on Sunday and is currently in the Neurology ward HDU (High Dependency Unit)," SGPGI said in a statement on Monday.

"Though his condition is critical, he is following commands and his vitals are stable at present. He is under close monitoring," it said. Das was priest of the makeshift Ram temple on December 6, 1992 when the Babri Mosque was demolished, barely nine months into the job at the time.

The longest serving head priest of the Ram temple was only 20 when he opted for a spiritual life. Belonging to the Nirvani Akhara, Das is among the most accessible seers of Ayodhya and a go-to person for many media people looking for information on Ayodhya and Ram temple developments.

“He is a widely respected figure and among those who know the history of the Ayodhya movement by heart. We wish and pray for his speedy recovery,” Vishva Hindu Parishad’s Ayodhya-based spokesperson Sharad Sharma told PTI.