Bista
Bishta
Language(s)Nepali[1]
Origin
DerivationBishista (Distinguished)
MeaningBaron or landholder[1]
Other names
Variant form(s)Bishta, Bishta, Bisht
Derivative(s)Bishta Kshatri/Chhetri
See alsoThapa, Basnet, Kunwar, Khadka, Karki

Bista (Nepali: बिष्ट) is a family name of people of North Indian Hills and Nepal belonging to Khas people[1] group under the caste Chhetri,[2][3] sub-groups of the Bahun caste.[4] They are Hindu with a local Masto deity.


They speak Nepali language as mother tongue. In India, Bista/Bistas are spelled as Bisht/Bishts or Bist/Bists and are titled as Rajputs. They are mostly found in Indian state of Uttarakhand.[5][6] Bista is also a surname belonging to the Brahmins of the Kumain Bahun subcaste.[7]

Naming and Status

Surrounded by Tibetan guards, Major Hiranya Bista (seated), a Pahari government officer of Chhetri caste

Bista is literally translated as Baron or landholder.[1] For example; Chauhan in Eastern Nepal were referred as Bista in an explanation of assault of a Chauhan man by a Dalit man where governmental orders of capital punishment was given to the Dalit man on Poush Badi 12, 1882 V.S. (1826 A.D.) on the grounds of assaulting a high caste citizen.[8] The excerpts from the royal orders to Bichari (Judge) Shivanidhi Padhya and Bichari (Judge) Parath Khadka on Poush Badi 12, 1882 V.S.:

Bhote Kami, a resident of Dorpagaun village in Majhuwa, had a quarrel with Daulat Chuhan of the same village. They started abusing each other on the road. Sarba Budhathoki then asked Bhote Kami why, being a Kami, he was abusing a Bista in that manner. At this, Bhote Kami took out his Khukuri and his at Sarba Budathoki, chopping off half of his ear and wounding his cheek. For this crime, Bhote Kami shall have his right arm amputated. His share of the ancestral property shall be confiscated, after apportioning the shares of his brothers and sons.

— Excerpts from the royal orders to Bichari Shivanidhi Padhya and Bichari Parath Khadka on Poush Badi 12, 1882 V.S.[8]

Notable people with surname Bista

Notable people with title Bista

References

  1. ^ a b c d Adhikary, Surya Mani (1997). The Khasa Kingdom: A trans-Himalayan empire of the middle age. Nirala Publications. p. 210. ISBN 8185693501.
  2. ^ Singh, K.S.; Anthropological Survey of India (2005). People of nepal: nepal (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.
  3. ^ Subba 1989, p. 33.
  4. ^ Subba 1989, p. 30, quotes that: The Kumain Bahuns are: Bhatta, Bista, Dotel, Joshi, Khatiwada, Lohini, Pandey, Pant, Upreti, etc..
  5. ^ Ajay S Rawat (November 2002). Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective. ISBN 9788173871368.
  6. ^ Ramila Bisht (2002). Environmental Health in Garhwal Himalaya: A Study of Pauri Garhwal. Indus. p. 50. ISBN 978-81-7387-132-0.
  7. ^ Subba 1989, p. 30, quotes that: The Kumain Bahuns are: Bhatta, Bista, Dotel, Joshi, Khatiwada, Lohini, Pandey, Pant, Upreti, etc..
  8. ^ a b Regmi 1987, p. 102.

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