Barot are a caste of 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...

, who were involved in profession as bard

Bard

In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...

s and especially as Vahivanchas: meaning traditional genealogists. They also additionally worked as Mythographers. They were also known by name of Bhat or Brahmbhatt

Brahmbhatt

Brahmbhatt is an Indian surname representing a Vedic/Indo-Aryan peoples, to be found mainly across West India and North India, in India. Primarily Warrior Brahmins, this classic social entity possesses the characteristics of Brahmin as well as Kshatriya as per the caste system prevalent in India...

.

Origin

The Barots are the descendants of a Rajput royal. Traditionally, Barots used to come to the house of the person/family to whom a son was born, whose genealogy they used to maintain. The name of new born boy-baby was then noted in their books and they were rewarded handsomely by the family headman. This reward was one of their source of income besides the income they generated from their occupation as bard or singer for Kings & Royal families, Thakur

Thakur (Indian title)

Thakur is an Indian feudal title in several Indian languages, literally meaning "lord". A Thikana is the state or estate of a Thakur. A Thakurani is the wife of a Thakur...

, Darbar

Darbar

Darbar may refer to:* A term for a court in Urdu from the Persian - Durbar * A surname used in the Indian Subcontinent, it originated during Mughal rule...

, by whom they were patronized. Many of them also used to get minor land grants as gifts from them. They were a respected 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...

 community

One of the famous Barot/Bhat in History of India is Chand Barot

Chand Bardai

Chand Bardai was the court poet of the Indian king Prithviraj III Chauhan, who ruled Ajmer and Delhi from 1165 to 1192. A native of Lahore, Chand Bardai composed the Prithviraj Raso, an epic poem in Hindi about the life of Prithviraj...

, the court poet of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, who composed, the epic Prithviraj Raso

Prithviraj Raso

The Prithviraj Raso or Prithvirajaraso is an epic poem composed by court poet, Chand Bardai, on the life of Prithviraj III, a Chauhan king who ruled Ajmer and Delhi between 1165 and 1192.Chand Bardai claimed to be contemporary of Prithviraj Chauhan.The historicity of Prithviraj Raso was proved...

.

Barot is a commonly found surname in 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...

 in 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...

. This surname has its root in this occupation based caste of Barot.

Barots are known as Barot & Balwa in 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...

.

The Barot, Bhat, Rao

Rao (surname)

Rao/राव/رااہ is an Indian princely title cognate with Raja. It's also a royal surname across India, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Italy and Brazil...

, Brahmbhatt

Brahmbhatt

Brahmbhatt is an Indian surname representing a Vedic/Indo-Aryan peoples, to be found mainly across West India and North India, in India. Primarily Warrior Brahmins, this classic social entity possesses the characteristics of Brahmin as well as Kshatriya as per the caste system prevalent in India...

, Inamdar, Dasandi,Sharma etc. are some of the Surnames belonging to this caste or community.

Present Circumstances

At present, the traditional occupation (Vahivanchas or genealogists) of Barots or Bhats is on verge of extinction. As the new generation of the casts/communities for whom they worked as Barots, no longer patronize them. Further, the young generation of Barots, also have got themselves involved in other occupation and businesses & higher studies.

However, many of these Barot / Bhaat / Brahmbhatt / Balwa families have the books known as Barot na chhopda, Bhatt na Chhopda or Balwa Pothy, which have centuries old documented records of various communities 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...

 & Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

 for whom they worked as Vahivanchas. These books are rare documented records, which needs to be preserved.

See also

• Bhat
  Bhat
  Bhat meaning a priest or scribe in Sanskrit, is a surname common in most parts of Nepal. A predominantly Hindu last name, it is found most commonly in the states of coastal areas of Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh, is a...
  
  
• Rai Bhat
  Rai Bhat
  The Rai Bhat are a Hindu caste found in North India. They are also known as Dasaundhi, Bandiji, Barna, Barwa, Bhargava, Bhatela, Maharaj, Raja and Raoji. The community have been the heredity bards and genealogists of many castes in India...
  
  
• Charan
  Charan
  Chāraṇ is the term for a caste living in the Gujarat and Rajasthan states of India. According to Shrimada Bhagwata Skand Charans were created along with other divine forms such as Yaksha, Gandharvas, Kinnara, Sidhdhas, Apsara, etc. and lived with them in Heaven...
  
  
• Mirasi
  Mirasi
  The Mirasi are a Muslim or Sikh caste, found in Northern India and Pakistan. They are also known as Pakhwaji, Kalawart and Qawwal.The Mirasi community are the genealogists of a number of communities in Northern India and Pakistan. Most Mirasis are Muslim, but Rababi and Dhadi sub-groups are...
  
  
• Brahm Bhat
  Brahm Bhat
  The Brahm Bhat are a Hindu caste, found in North India. They are also known as Baram Bhatt, Biram Bhatt, or just Bhatt. The Brahm Bhatt are one of the two sub-divisions of the Bhat ethnic group, the other sub-division being that of Rai Bhats....
  
  
• Balwa
• Gadhvi
  Gadhvi
  The Gadhvi, sometimes also pronounced Garvi are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat in India.- Origin :The community is said to have migrated from Rajasthan to Junagadh some two hundred years ago. They were the traditional genealogists of a number of Hindu communities in Saurashtra and Kutch...