Devibhakta Lamitare hailed from Lapshibote village in the Chirang district and was born in 1937 AD. His spiritually affluent family, known as the Lamitare of Bara Jumsa, were hereditary Hindu priests. His father, Tikaram, was a well-respected Karmakandi priest (ritual expert) as well as a farmer. Devibhakta was the sixth child of Tikaram and Himadevi.
Devibhakta Lamitare hailed from Lapshibote village in the Chirang district and was born in 1937 AD. His spiritually affluent family, known as the Lamitare of Bara Jumsa, were hereditary Hindu priests. His father, Tikaram, was a well-respected Karmakandi priest (ritual expert) as well as a farmer. Devibhakta was the sixth child of Tikaram and Himadevi. As a child, Devibhakta was known for his bold, spirited, and curious nature. From an early age, he was introduced to sacred Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita, Durga Saptashati, Rudri, and foundational Vedic texts. He also assisted his father and elder brother in their priestly duties. Recognizing his potential, he was sent to a Sanskrit Gurukul in Salami village, where he studied Sanskrit grammar and philosophy under the tutelage of renowned Pandit Kashinath Pyakurel—one of Bhutan’s most distinguished Sanskrit scholars. Devibhakta was deeply committed to justice, social dignity, and the democratic aspirations of the Bhutanese people. His ideological roots were shaped during a time when political activism among southern Bhutanese was gaining momentum. He eventually left Bhutan in the mid-1950s and started leading a life in exile in India pursuing education in Sanskrit. In November 1952, a political organization named the Bhutan State Congress was formed in Patgaon, Goalpara district of Assam, India, under the leadership of D.B. Gurung. Although it initially attracted some attention, the organization gradually lost its influence. By 1954, after the Bhutan State Congress organized a Satyagraha in Sarbhang to which the Bhutanese government responded with heavy handed repression. According to Michael Hutt, a British scholar, this marked the party's transformation into a “spent force.” In 1969, the party fell into complete dormancy after its key leaders surrendered to the Bhutanese monarchy. But in 1971, Devibhakta Lamitare took the initiative of reviving a defunct Bhutan State Congress. Amidst persisting injustices, oppression, and human rights violations committed by the Bhutanese regime, he assumed leadership and tried to reorganize the party. Lamitare also wrote tirelessly and spoke out against the atrocities perpetrated by the Bhutanese state. According to Durga Sitaula, the party’s former General Secretary, Lamitare led the party during a time of crisis. However, Sitaula also noted that exile constraints hindered Lamitare from effectively mobilizing people at the grassroots. Despite this limitation, Devibhakta refused to remain silent. He remained a powerful voice of dissent, blending spiritual discipline with political activism. He consistently called for justice, equity, and the institution of democratic rights in Bhutan. Devibhakta was a prolific writer and public intellectual. He has authored more than half a dozen books in English, Nepali and Hindi. Among his most influential works are 'Murder of Democracy in Himalayan Kingdom' and 'Dankindo Bhutan.' The Dankindo Bhutan, in particular, became a widely respected work among Bhutanese exiles and human rights advocates. In 2022, the Bhutan Media Society published a revised and updated edition of Dankindo Bhutan, ensuring that the new generation of readers could engage with Lamitare’s insights and experiences. Throughout his life, Devibhakta took on multiple identities, such as D.B. Metador, Red Swami, Devananda Sharma, Mr. Paltudas, B.K. Chaitanya, and Bhutani Baba among others. According to him, each identity represented a different chapter, audience, or purpose in his spiritual, social, and political journey. As he once said, ‘my names changed according to place, group, and profession’. In his final act of renunciation and transcendence, Devibhakta embraced a monastic life. On February 5, 2022, in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, he attained Brahmaleen. His journey from priesthood and scholarship to political resistance, spiritual exploration, and literary activism is a profound testament to courage, conviction, and transformation. His legacy continues to inspire Bhutanese communities across generations, reminding them that truth, knowledge, and resistance are sacred duties, not just ideals.
References
Lamitare, Devibhakta. (2022). Dankindo Bhutan (Rev. ed.). Bhutan Media Society. Hutt, Michael. (2005). Unbecoming citizens: Culture, nationhood, and the flight of refugees from Bhutan. Oxford University Press. Lamitare, Devibhakta. (1978). Murder of Democracy in Himalayan Kingdom.Amarako Books.