Ramraoji Maharaj, spiritual leader of Banjara community, passes away

The 84-year-old religious leader was undergoing treatment for the last one month and died around 11 on Friday night

The Banjara community's religious head Ramrao Maharaj (88) passed away on Friday night, due to prolonged illness. The seer was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mumbai for the past several days.

Community leaders said the condition of the swami started deteriorating two years ago and the seer breathed his last at 11.30 pm on Friday.

Ramrao Maharaj, head of Pohradevi peetha (a pilgrimage centre in Washim district of Maharashtra), was born on July 27, 1935. He was the seventh peethadhipathi.

Ramrao Maharaj was coronated as the peethadhipathi after the demise of Parashuram Maharaj in 1948.

Mourning the demise of the saint, Gulbarga MP Dr Umesh Jadhav said the last rites would be performed at Pohradevi at around 12.30 pm on Sunday. The Maharashtra government has appealed to the devotees not to take part in the last rites, in view of the pandemic. It has announced that the ceremony will be live-streamed, Jadhav said.