U Pannya Jota Mahathera

Early life and secular service

Born into the Royal Bohmong family of Bandarban, U Pannya Jota spent part of his early adult life in public service. He worked as a judge and magistrate for about eight years before leaving secular office to pursue monastic life. That transition from government official to religious teacher shaped his public role and gave him a background in both civic administration and spiritual instruction.

Monastic career and leadership

He later ordained in the Theravada tradition and advanced to the rank of Mahathera, a senior title denoting experience and teaching authority. Contemporary accounts say he became a monk who emphasized devotional practice, meditation, and the preservation of Theravada ritual forms in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region. He combined traditional monastic duties with public teaching, supporting local monks and lay devotees.

Buddha Dhatu Jadi and community work

U Pannya Jota is widely credited with founding the Buddha Dhatu Jadi, a prominent shrine in Bandarban that serves as a focal point for pilgrimage and community festivals. The temple is noted for its Burmese-influenced architecture and for housing relics and devotional images important to regional Buddhists. Under his guidance, the temple became both a religious center and a venue for cultural events.

Notable contributions and legacy

• Provided sustained spiritual leadership to local Buddhist communities and visiting pilgrims.
• Helped preserve and promote Theravada liturgy and monastic education in a multiethnic region.
• Bridged secular and religious life through his prior experience as a magistrate and later community service.
• Left behind an active temple that continues to attract devotees and tourists.

U Pannya Jota Mahathera died on 13 April 2020 of cardiac arrest, at the age of 64. His passing was noted by local communities and by Buddhists beyond Bandarban as the loss of a teacher who played a visible role in maintaining Theravada practice and cultural presence in southeastern Bangladesh.