Guhathakurta

Guhathakurta (also spelled Guha Thakurta) is an Indian family name and surname found amongst Bengalis. According to the Indian caste system, Guhathakurta belongs to the Kulin Kayastha group, the most highly ranked group amongst Kayasthas, a sub-sect of the Kshatriya caste.

Guhathakurtas trace their history back to the Sena Dynasty, which ruled Bengal during the 11th and 12th centuries.

The family originates from the town of Banaripara in the Barisal District of present-day Bangladesh. Since the Partition of India in 1947, its members have resided primarily in the state of West Bengal in India.

Guhathakurtas share a common royal bloodline and have their own Holy Grail named as "Lotika", and to 600 year old family Indo-Aryan lineage.

Origin

Many years back a king named Adishur decided to perform a yajna for his son.But none of the Brahmins of the Bengal were ready to participate in that yajna,so they sugggested the king to call Brahmins from Uttar Pradesh. So five Brahmins came from Kanyakujwa or Kannauj to perform the yajna. To protect the Brahmins, five Kshatriya came with them.Later on these five Kshatriyas came to known as the Kaysthas.Guha (गुह) is the surname,another name for lord Kartikeya and Thakurta is the title which means "Protector of the God" .Guhathakurta dynasty was founded by Birat Guha who came from Kanyakubja and is a descendent of Saint Kashyap.

Caste Theory

Among the castes found in Bengal, besides Brahmana, the highest is the Kayastha. This caste is said to have sprung from the Kshatriya caste.The Kayasthas were divided into the Uttara Rarhis, the Dakshina Rarhis and the Bangajas; the last being the original Kayastha inhabitants of Bengal and they now chiefly live in East Bengal. The Dakshina Rarhis at present have largely spread over this part of Bengal, They are subdivided into two classes, viz :- The Kulins and the Mauliks. The Ghoshes, the Basus and the Mitras (three surnames of the Kayasthas) are the Kulins; all the rest being the Mauliks. The Mauliks again are divided into two classes; the Deys, the Dutts, the Kars, the Palits, the Sens, the Sinhas, the Dasses and the "Guhas" are of the first class, the rest (which number 72) being of the 2nd class, The Guhathakurtas of the Bangaja Kayasthas are Kulin means Royal.

Scions

*Late Jyotirmay Guhathakurta - Bangladeshi Freedom Fighter, Assasinated by Pakistani Army during Bangladesh Liberation War 1971

*Late Jiban Guha Thakurta - Indian freedom fighter incarcerated (1932-38),Prisoner No: 135 Cellular Jail,S/o Nagendra Nath Guha, banaripada, Barisal, Bangladesh. For violation of Government orders and restrictions in Krishnanagar, he was arrested and sentenced 5 and half years prison term . Deported to Cellular Jail in 1932. Released.

*Ruma Guha Thakurta - versatile singer and actress
*Tapati Guha Thakurta - Professor of History, D.Phil(University of Oxford) Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta
*Paranjoy Guha Thakurta - Dean, School of Convergence
*Dr.Puragra Guhathakurta - Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Astronomer,UC Observatories/Lick Observatory
*Tirthankar Guha Thakurta - Film-maker
*Dr.Madhulika Guha Thakurta - Astrophysicist, NASA
*Subhrajit Guhathakurta - Associate Professor,School of Planning and the International Institute for Sustainability - Arizona State University
*Late Srila Audulomi Thakur - Spiritual Guru, Srimad BKAS Sewaashram
*Meghna Guha Thakurta - Executive Director, Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB)(Daughter of Late.Jyotirmay Guhathakurta
*Surup Guha Thakurta - Cricketer

External Links

[http://www.ucolick.org/~raja/ Dr. Puragra Guha Thakurta's Official Webpage]

[http://www.andamancellularjail.org/ Andaman Cellular Jail's Revolutionaries Database]