:बड़थ्वाल) is a surname

Surname

A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...

, rather a sub-caste of Garhwali Brahmins

Garhwali people

Garhwali people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who primarily live in the Garhwal Himalayas of the north-western Indian state of Uttarakhand...

. There is a similar caste, 'Bartwal' ('h' missing / बर्त्वाल) - these people are 'thakur' or 'jajman' (as they are popularly called in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...

). Most of Barthwals are concentrated in Pauri district of Uttarakhand. The deity of Barthwals is 'Bhairav', who rides on dog. Statistically, their population is in thousands all over.

Like many sub-castes of Garhwal, it is said they are not aborigines of Garhwal. One version (Rahul Sankrayatan) has it that they were four brothers settled in different locations in Pauri. Another version has it that all originally belong to a village 'Badeth' in Dwarikhal Block, near Silogi, in Bichla Dhangu 'patti' (a division of block, generally consisting of 25-50 villages). From there, their descendents moved to nearby Khand

Khand

Khand can mean:-*Khand , a fictional country in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium*Pauson–Khand reaction, an organic chemical reaction*Sach Khand, a Sikh religious concept*Khande di Pahul, a Sikh ceremony...

, Balori (near district headquarter of Pauri) and elsewhere with passage of time.

Among Barthwals, the most notable name is Pitambar Dutt Barthwal of Pali

Páli

- External links :* *...

 village, who was first D.Litt of India(in Hindi literature

Hindi literature

Hindi literature , is broadly divided into four prominent forms or styles, being Bhakti ; Shringar ; Veer-Gatha ; and Adhunik...

; his thesis was on Kabir's thoughts). (Second D.Litt being Dr Rajendra Prasad

Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...

, the first President of Indi). Another notable figure among Barthwals has been Mukund 'Daivagya', the renowned astronomer of village Khand who normally lived in Devprayag

Devprayag

Devprayag is a town and a nagar panchayat in Tehri Garhwal district in the state of Uttarakhand, India, and is one of the Panch Prayag of Alaknanda River and where the Ganges River is formed.-Overview:Traditionally, it is considered to be the place where sage Devasharma led his ascetic life,...

; his books on astronomy and astrology continue to be part of curriculum in higher studies of astrology. Mahidhar Barthwal, another important name among Barthwals wrote a book providing classification of diffeent castes of Garhwal, "Garhwal mein kaun kahan". In this book Mahidhar proved that the Swarnkars (goldsmiths) of Garhwal were originally 'dome' (the scheduled caste, traditionally at lowest rung of caste system). The contents infuriated the Swarnkars, they got the book banned. However, after the decision of Hon'ble High Court of Allahabad

Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court or the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad is a high court having jurisdiction over the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh since 1950...

, the ban was lifted.