Bhatt
Encyclopedia
Bhatt, meaning a priest
or scribe in Sanskrit
, is a surname
common in most parts of India
. A predominantly Hindu
last name, it is found most commonly in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan
, Haryana
, Madhya Pradesh
, Kumaon
and Garhwal
in Uttarakhand
, Doti
, Karnataka
, Kerala
, Maharashtra
and some parts of Uttar Pradesh
, Bihar
and West Bengal. Among the communities in India with this last name are the Bhattmewada Brahmins
, Avdichya Brahmins, Gouda Saraswat Brahmins Gurjargaur Brahmins, Konkanastha and the Smartha Brahmins. Some families in Karnataka
also share the surname belong to Havyaka, Shivalli (and or) madhva and even Daivajna.
Bhatts were known to keep genealogies of Rajput
kings.
The earliest reference of Bhatt can be found in Chandragupta
's empire. In Mudrarakshasa
, while describing different divisions in Chandragupta's army, a reference can be found to Bhatt-Bala. Here Bala means a division, hence Bhatt-Bala would mean a division composed of Bhatt.
has been used in spirituality. In Jainism the term is used to mean priest.
There exists the deity Vaidyanatha Bhattarka, whose idol exists in the Pulindeshvara Temple of Orissa.
The Buddhist goddess Tara
is also known as Bhattarika.
In the Bengal and Orissa, worship of another goddess Bhattarika exists. There is a festival in her name in Sasanga (near Badamba Tehsil of Cuttack), Orissa.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
or scribe in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, 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"...
common in most parts of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. A predominantly Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
last name, it is found most commonly in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, Kumaon
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
and Garhwal
Garhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
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...
, Doti
Doti
Farwestern region of Nepal is also known as Doti or Doti region. The name Dotigarh has been used in the Jagar . This region is situated between River Kali boarding to the Uttarakhand in the west and Karnali river on the east...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
and some parts of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and West Bengal. Among the communities in India with this last name are the Bhattmewada Brahmins
Bhattmewada Brahmins
Bhattmewada Brahmins are a Brahmin community found in the state of Gujarat in India.-Origin:They are believed to have originated from Mewar, in Rajasthan. Their history dates back to the Mahabharata period...
, Avdichya Brahmins, Gouda Saraswat Brahmins Gurjargaur Brahmins, Konkanastha and the Smartha Brahmins. Some families in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
also share the surname belong to Havyaka, Shivalli (and or) madhva and even Daivajna.
Bhatts were known to keep genealogies of Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
kings.
The earliest reference of Bhatt can be found in Chandragupta
Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya , was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and its first genuine emperor...
's empire. In Mudrarakshasa
Mudrarakshasa
The Mudrarakshasa , a historical play in Sanskrit by Vishakhadatta in late 4th or early 5th century narrates the ascent of the king Chandragupta Maurya to power in Northern India.-Origin:...
, while describing different divisions in Chandragupta's army, a reference can be found to Bhatt-Bala. Here Bala means a division, hence Bhatt-Bala would mean a division composed of Bhatt.
Activism
- Chandi Prasad BhattChandi Prasad BhattChandi Prasad Bhatt is an Indian Gandhian environmentalist and social activist, who founded Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh in Gopeshwar in 1964, which later became a mother-organization to the Chipko Movement, in which he was one of the pioneers, and for which he has been awarded the Ramon...
(born 1934), sex activist - Ela BhattEla BhattEla Ramesh Bhatt is the founder of the Self-Employed Women's Association of India . A lawyer by training, Bhatt is a respected leader of the international labour, cooperative, women, and micro-finance movements who has won several national and international awards.-Early life:Ela Bhatt was born in...
, activist, founder Self-Employed Women's Association of India (SEWA) - Gokulbhai BhattGokulbhai BhattGokulbhai Bhatt was a freedom fighter and a social worker from Rajasthan state in India.He was a member of Constituent Assembley of India and chief minister of princely Sirohi state for a brief period. He along with 7 others founded Praja Mandal at Sirohi on 22nd Jan 1939...
, activist
Films
- Bhavana BhattBhavana BhattBhavana Bhatt also known as Bhawna Bhatt is an actress in Bollywood and Punjwood.Bhatt started her career in the Hindi film Do Jasoos, where she worked with legends such as Raj Kapoor and Rajendra Kumar. Later she acted opposite Raj Kapoor's son in Naya Daur in 1978...
, film actor - Mahesh BhattMahesh BhattMahesh Bhatt , is a prominent Indian film director, producer and screenwriter.Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed films, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam and Zakhm....
, Bollywood director - Nanabhai BhattNanabhai BhattNanabhai Bhatt was a well-known Indian film director and producer of Bollywood and Gujarati cinema, known for making over a hundred fantasy and mythological films, including Mr. X , Zimbo Comes to Town , Lal Qila and the blockbuster Kangan starring Nirupa Roy and Ashok Kumar...
, Film director, head of the Bhatt family - Vijay BhattVijay BhattVijay Bhatt was a noted producer-director-screenwriter of Hindi cinema, who made such films as Ram Rajya , Baiju Bawra , Goonj Uthi Shehnai and Himalaya Ki God Mein .He founded Prakash Pictures, a film production company and Prakash Studios in Andheri East, Mumbai, which...
, film director - Vikram BhattVikram BhattVikram Bhatt is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. He has more than 21 films to his credit. He is also the creative head of a conglomerate called ASA Productions.-Early life:...
, film director - Pooja BhattPooja BhattPooja Bhatt is an Indian film actress and model, currently devoting time to film production and direction. She is the daughter of Indian film director Mahesh Bhatt.-Early life:...
, Bollywood actress - Rahul BhattRahul BhattRahul Bhatt , is an Indian fitness trainer and an aspiring film actor. The son of famous film director Mahesh Bhatt and Kiran Bhatt, Rahul gained unwitting notoriety in 2009 following revelations that David Headley, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, had befriended him.-Biography:The son of...
, actor, fitness trainer - Balwantrai BhattBalwantrai BhattPandit Balwant Rai Bhatt is a noted Indian composer and musician of Hindustani vocal music. He is also known as "Bhav Rang".-Early life and background:...
, Hindustani classical musicHindustani classical musicHindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
composer and vocalist - BāṇabhaṭṭaBanabhattaBāṇabhaṭṭa , also known as Bāṇa, was a Sanskrit scholar and poet of India. He was the Asthana Kavi in the court of King Harshavardhana, who reigned in the years c. 606–647 CE in north India...
, 7th century Sanskrit scholar - Kamla BhattKamla BhattKamla Bhatt is an Indian blogger and is acclaimed as India's first podcaster. She is also a freelance writer and researcher. Kamla is a featured podcaster contributor to the IndiaTech feature on Silicon Valley's PodTech.Net....
, writer, researcher - Vishwa Mohan BhattVishwa Mohan BhattVishwa Mohan Bhatt also known as V. M. Bhatt is an Indian slide guitar player. Bhatt is the creator of the Mohan Veena...
(born 1952), exponent of Hindustani music - Jyoti BhattJyoti BhattJyotindra Manshankar Bhatt , is an Indian artist best known for his modernist work in painting and printmaking and also his photographic documentation of rural Indian culture. He studied painting under N. S. Bendre and K.G. Subramanyan at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao Universtity ,...
, painter - Puran BhattPuran BhattPuran Bhatt is a renowned puppeteer of Rajasthan. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2003.- External links :* Entry on PuppetIndia referencing Puran Bhatt...
, puppeteer
Sages, scholars and philosophers
- Ānanda Bhaṭṭa, 16th century, Vedanta scholar
- Gopala Bhatta GoswamiGopala Bhatta GoswamiGopala Bhatta Goswami is one of the foremost disciples of the Vaishnava saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and a leading historical figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Hinduism...
, 16th century, foremost disciples of the Vaishnava saint, Chaitanya MahaprabhuChaitanya MahaprabhuChaitanya Mahaprabhu was a Vaishnava saint and social reformer in eastern India in the 16th century, believed by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism to be the full incarnation of Lord Krishna... - Jayanta BhattaJayanta BhattaJayanta Bhatta was a Kashmiri poet and philosopher of Nyaya school of Indian philosophy. In his philosophical treatise Nyayamanjari and drama Agamadambara, Jayanta mentioned about the king Shankaravarman as his contemporary...
, 9th century, Kashmiri poet and philosopher of Nyaya school of Indian philosophy - Jayarāśi Bhaṭṭa, 8th century philosopher
- Kumārila BhaṭṭaKumarila Bhatta' was a Hindu philosopher and Mimamsa scholar from Assam. He is famous for many of his seminal theses on Mimamsa, such as Mimamsaslokavarttika. Bhatta was an staunch believer in the supreme validity of Vedic injunction, a great champion of Purva-Mimamsa and a confirmed ritualist...
, 8th century, philosopher and Mimamsa scholar - Prajna BhattaPrajna BhattaPrajna Bhatta wrote Rajavalipataka that brings Kashmir's history to the time of its incorporation in the dominions of the Mogul emperor Akbar, 1588....
, 16th century, historian - Raghunatha Bhatta GoswamiRaghunatha Bhatta GoswamiRaghunatha Bhatta Goswami was a disciple of the Vaishnava saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and member of the influential Gaudiya Vaishnava group collectiveley known as the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan...
, 16th century, disciple of the Vaishnava saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Sports
- DS BhattDS BhattDS Bhatt was an Indian cricketer who played for Saurashtra.Bhatt made a single first-class appearance for the side, during the 1962-63 season, against Maharashtra. From the lower order, he scored 9 runs in the only innings in which he batted.-External links:* at Cricket Archive...
, cricketer - Pramila BhattPramila BhattPramila S Bhatt is an ex-Indian cricketer. She played Women's Test cricket and ODI cricket for India . She captained the Indian team in 1 Test match and 7 ODI matches...
, cricketer - Raju Bhatt (Gujarat cricketer)Raju Bhatt (Gujarat cricketer)Raju Bhatt was an Indian cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman who played for Gujarat. He was born in Ahmedabad.Bhatt made a single first-class appearance for the side, during the 1970-71 season, against Baroda...
- Raju Bhatt (Baroda cricketer)
- Rujul BhattRujul BhattRujul Bhatt is an Indian cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler who plays for Gujarat. He was born in Ahmedabad....
, cricketer - Subhash BhattSubhash BhattSubhash Bhatt was an Indian cricketer who played for Gujarat. He was born in Ahmedabad.Bhatt, who played for Gujarat Schools and West Zone Schools between 1959 and 1962, made a single first-class appearance for Gujarat, during the 1961-62 Ranji Trophy, against Maharashtra...
, cricketer
Others
- Ajay BhattAjay BhattAjay V. Bhatt is an Indian-American computer architect who helped define and develop several widely used technologies, including USB , AGP , PCI Express, Platform Power management architecture and various chipset improvements.Ajay Bhatt rose to global celebrity as the co-inventor of USB through an...
, computer-architect - Dr Beejay Bhatt Multi-Millionaire Businessman with a PhD in Physics from CalTech
Bhattarka
The term BhattarakaBhattaraka
A Bhaṭṭāraka is the head of traditional Jain institutions. They are responsible for training of scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing the endowments, presiding over the installation ceremonies and running of Jain institutions....
has been used in spirituality. In Jainism the term is used to mean priest.
There exists the deity Vaidyanatha Bhattarka, whose idol exists in the Pulindeshvara Temple of Orissa.
The Buddhist goddess Tara
Tara
-Religions and deities:*Tara , is a tantric meditation deity in Tibetan Buddhism, actually the generic name for a set of similar bodhisattvas*In Hinduism:*Tara , a Mahavidya of Mahadevi, Kali or Parvati...
is also known as Bhattarika.
In the Bengal and Orissa, worship of another goddess Bhattarika exists. There is a festival in her name in Sasanga (near Badamba Tehsil of Cuttack), Orissa.