Priest who headed Ram Lalla consecration rituals passes away; PM Modi, UP CM Adityanath express grief

VARANASI: Veteran Karmakandi (ritualist) Pt Laxmikant Mathuradas Dixit, who headed a team of 121 priests to perform the rituals of Ram Lalla’s consecration at the Ram Janambhumi temple in Ayodhya, died at his residence on Saturday. He was 86. His mortal remains were consigned to flames at Manikarnika Ghat.
Through their X posts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over his demise.
Talking to TOI, the legendary ritualist’s son, Arun Dixit, said, "Father was well until he woke up in the morning. He was busy with his morning routine activities when he fell on the floor and died around 6:45 am."
With the spread of the news of his death, hundreds of priests, especially from his alma mater Sangveda Vidyalaya, along with local dignitaries and public representatives, started gathering at his residence. From there, his funeral procession was carried out by noon. His elder son, Jaikrishna Dixit, lit the pyre at Manikarnika Ghat, said Arun.
Mourning his demise, PM Modi, in his X post, said, "I received the sad news of the demise of the country's eminent scholar and Yajurveda teacher of Sangveda Vidyalaya, Lakshmikant Dixit ji. Dixit ji was a renowned man of the scholarly tradition of Kashi. I got his company on the inauguration day of Kashi Vishwanath Dham and Ram temple. His demise is an irreparable loss for society."
Through his X post, Yogi Adityanath also mentioned, "The passing of Kashi's esteemed scholar and chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Prana Pratishtha, Vedamurti Acharya Shri Laxmikant Dixit ji to ‘Golok’ is an irreparable loss to the spiritual and literary world. He will always be remembered for his contributions to the Sanskrit language and Indian culture. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed soul a place at His feet and to give strength to his disciples and followers to endure this grief. Om Shanti!"
Belonging to the tradition of 17th-century Kashi's scholar Gaga Bhatt, who presided over the coronation of Chatrapati Shivaji, Dixit had been the Acharya’ (chief priest) for the Pranpratisha’ (consecration) rituals of Ram Lalla's idols at Ram Janambhumi temple in Ayodhya on January 22.