Bisht
Language(s)Kumaoni, Garhwali, Nepali
Origin
DerivationBishishta (Distinguished)
MeaningBaron or landholder
Other names
Variant form(s)Bishta, Bista, Bist
See alsoMahara, Rawat, Dhami, Airee, Negi, Rautela

Bisht is a surname found in the Indian state of Uttarakhand,[1] Himachal Pradesh and country Nepal.[2] The term "Bisht" originally referred to someone who held a land grant from the government. The Bisht families in Uttarakhand were chiefly Thokdars[3](Zamindars) of Thuljat[a] origin.[1] In Uttrakhand, Bishts are generally Kshatriya Rajputs. In Nepal, Bisht was adopted as a surname by Raute and Raji people.[2] Bishta, as Bista, was also used as a surname used by Khas people,[4] group under the caste Chhetri.[5][6]

Notable people

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The term "Thuljat" refers to Brahmins and Rajputs who claim to be later immigrants from the plains[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Ramila Bisht (2002). Environmental Health in Garhwal Himalaya: A Study of Pauri Garhwal. Indus. p. 50. ISBN 978-81-7387-132-0.
  2. ^ a b Jana Fortier (2009). Kings of the Forest: The Cultural Resilience of Himalayan Hunter-Gatherers. University of Hawaii Press. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-8248-3322-0.
  3. ^ Ajay S Rawat (November 2002). Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective. ISBN 9788173871368.
  4. ^ Adhikary, Surya Mani (1997). The Khasa Kingdom: A trans-Himalayan empire of the middle age. Nirala Publications. p. 210. ISBN 8185693501.
  5. ^ Singh, K.S.; Anthropological Survey of India (2005). People of India: Uttar Pradesh (3 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 9788173041143. Retrieved 2017-06-11. The Chhetri clans (thar) include Adhikari, Bania, Basnet, Bhandari, Bist, Bohra, Burathoki, Charti, Karki, Khanka, Khatri, Kanwar, Manghi, Mahat, Panwar, Rana, Rawat, Roka, Thapa, etc.
  6. ^ Subba, Tanka Bahadur (1989). Dynamics of a hill society: Nepalis in Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas. Mittal Publications. ISBN 9788173041143. Some of the Chhetri clans are Adhikari, Baniya, Basnet, Bist, Bohra, Bura or Burathoki, Gharti, Karki, Khadka, Khatri, Khulal, Mahat, Raut, Rana, Roka, Thapa, etc.
  7. ^ Ramachandra Guha (2000). The Unquiet Woods: Ecological Change and Peasant Resistance in the Himalaya. University of California Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-520-22235-9.
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