Bhat clan

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For the general caste, see Bhatt.
For the English name, see Butt (name).

Bhat (Urdu: بھٹ‎) or Butt (Urdu: بٹ‎), both of which are a shortened rendition of Bhatta (Kashmiri: भट्ट (Devanagari), Urdu: بھٹا‎)),[1] is a Kashmiri surname, found among individuals native to the Kashmir Valley of Kashmir,[2] as well as Kashmiri émigrés who have migrated to the Punjab,[3][4] a region in Pakistan.[5] Kashmiris bearing the surname Bhat belong to the larger Bhat caste of Brahmins;[1][6][7] the surname is shared by both Hindus and Muslims.[8] The Sikhs also share the Bhat heritage, and are known as the Bhat or Bhatra sangat and were amongst the first followers of Guru Nanak.[9]

Etymology

Historians state the surname is a distorted form of Bhatta, which originates from Sanskrit (भटट), meaning "scholar" or Brāhmaṇa.[10] While the original shortened rendition of the Bhate,"Bhatta" caste was "Bhat" or "Bhatt,"[1] many of the migrants to the Punjab, started spelling their surname as "But" or "Butt" which is the spelling of the clan used in the Pahari language.[5][5][11] The difference in spelling between "Bhat" (used in Kashmir) and "Butt" (used in Punjab) is because at the time of the last British census, the governors of the two provinces used different spellings. Since ancient times, Kashmiri traders would spend summers at home in Kashmir preparing their goods (carpets, shawls etc.) and in the winter months, would migrate to prosperous Punjab to trade their goods. Those that were trading in Punjab or settled in Punjab at the time of the census started spelling "Bhat" as "Butt" due to the British governors' interpretation. In 1947, some who were in Punjab decided to stay due to the uncertain future of Kashmir and kept using "Butt", while some others returned to Kashmir but continued using "Butt".

Origins

People named Bhat were said to be a clan of Brahmin descendants of intellectual Vedic and Dardic saints that inhabited the banks of the Saraswati River, which ran dry around 2000 BC. This forced the community to migrate to Kashmir in search of "ultimate truth".[12] Up to about the beginning of the 13th century, Islam became the dominant religion in Kashmir as a large number of Kashmiri Pandits were converted to Islam. Many of the Northern Hindu Brahmins converted to the Sikh Bhat sangat during the missionary efforts of prince Changa Rai who earned the title "Bhat Rai", who was the grandson of Raja Shivnabh, a Hindu king who had met Guru Nanak and converted to Sikhism during the 16th century.[13] Many Sikh Bhats are located in the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

Geographical distribution

Bhats can be found in the following areas:

***Far Western and Mid Western Region of Nepal

Notable people

Activists

  • Hassan Butt, former spokesman for the disbanded British Islamist group Al-Muhajiroun
  • Shakeel Bhat, outspoken Kashmiri activist, labelled as "Islamic Rage Boy" by Western media

Arts and literature

Actors & Actresses

  • Uzra Butt, was a Pakistani actress and dancer

Businessmen

Historians

  • Prajna Bhatta, Kashmiri Indian historian, famous for his work, "Rajavalipataka"

Military

Media

Musicians

Politicians

Scientists

Sports

Cricket

Hockey

Football

  • Ayaz Butt, chairman of KRL FC
  • Hafiz Salman Butt, chairman of Wohaib FC
  • Yousuf Butt, Pakistani Goalkeeper for Pakistan and Hellurup IK

Other sports

Others

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Saligram Bhatt. Kashmiri Scholars Contribution to Knowledge and World Peace. Retrieved 2010-12-02. "Bhat {Bhatt} surnames are found in Uttaranchal, Northern Belt, Central and Western parts of the country and is a surname of sizeable Brahmins in Konkan, Maharashtra and Gujarat; where they had migrated in sizeable strength. Bhatta's who migrated to Gauda {Bengal} werecalle dAcharaya's {Scholars} and thus Bhattacharaya's. In Nepal they became priests, ardent worshippers of Bhadrakali and spread Kali worship; mostly around Pashupatinath Temple. In Uttaranchal they became Purohit {Priestly} class, adopted surname Purohit, many changed profession but retained Bhatt surname. In northern plains, few became Bhatta's, many Bhatt's; in both cases Purohit {Priestly} class. In Central and Western parts, strict requirements of a Bhatta {Purohit} could not be sustained and to indicate their Brahmin roots they opted for surname only. Thus Bhatta and Purohit are surnames of the same category. Bhatta has a shortened version, Bhat {Bhatt}; referring to the same class of people. Surname Bhat {Bhatt} in Kas'mira can also be traced to short form of Bhatta. In Kas'mira, Bhatta honorific has been associated with many personalities, scholars of 9th and 10th centuries, scriptures and specific in many cases in 14th century and later." 
  2. ↑ Explore Kashmiri Pandits. Dharma Publications. Retrieved 2010-12-02. 
  3. ↑ A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province. Nirmal Publishers and Distributors. Retrieved 25 March 2007. "The most important Kashmiri element in the Punjab is found in the cities of Ludhiana and Amritsar, which still contain large colonies of weavers, employed in weaving carpets and finer fabrics." 
  4. ↑ Kashmiris’ contribution to Ludhianvi culture. The Tribune. Retrieved 25 March 2007. "In fact, the Ludhiana hosiery industry owes its origin to Kashmiris. According to the Ludhiana District Gazetteer, during a devastating famine in the 19th century a number of Kashmiris migrated to Ludhiana. They are known world over for their handicraft skills. They started weaving woollen fabric here. Slowly the trade got popular and Ludhiana started to be identified with hosiery only." 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, Volume 52. The Survey. Retrieved 2010-12-02. "The But/Butt of Punjab were originally Brahmin migrants from Kashmir during 1878 famine." 
  6. ↑ Madras journal of literature and science, Volume 4. Athenæum Press. Retrieved 2010-12-02. "Bhatt (vulgarly Butt) is the distinctive name of a class of Bramins in the north; and in the south the same class bear the distinctive title of Pattar." 
  7. ↑ The quarterly journal of the Mythic society (Bangalore)., Volume 96. The Society. Retrieved 2010-12-02. "Even today most common family name in Kashmir is Butt, a distortion of Bhatt, a Hindu surname common amongst the Brahmins in India." 
  8. ↑ Parvéz Dewân. Parvéz Dewân's Jammû, Kashmîr, and Ladâkh: Kashmîr. Manas Publications. Retrieved 2010-12-02. "This is a surname shared by Hindus and Muslims." 
  9. ↑ HA Rose, Glossary of Tribes and Castes of the Punjab (Lahore 1883), quoted by Pradesh
  10. ↑ For definition of ब्राह्मण brāhmaṇa, with last syllable showing a Vedic accent, used as a noun as "m. (having to do with Brahman or divine knowledge), one learned in the Veda, theologian, priest, Brāhman, man of the first four castes"; and definition of ब्राह्मण brāhmaṇa, with only first syllable showing a Vedic accent, used as an adjective as "a. (i) belonging to a Brāhman, Brāhmanic", see: Macdonell 1924, p. 199.
  11. ↑ P.K. Kaul. Pahāṛi and other tribal dialects of Jammu, Volume 1. Eastern Book Linkers. Retrieved 2010-12-02. "The But/Butt of Punjab were originally Brahmin migrants from Kashmir during 1878 famine." 
  12. ↑ http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=QpjKpK7ywPIC&pg=PA365&lpg=PA365&dq=History+of+kashmir+and+its+people&source=bl&ots=-RI_8tLrab&sig=8d9tzPeeB5lAjaq9RZqzYO8QydA&hl=en&ei=ab9pSobcB46PkAXutZW4Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6
  13. ↑ Haqiqat Rah Muqam shivnabh raje ki page 624 [p.1248]khari
  14. ↑ Faiza Butt: The political artist
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