Upreti or sometimes spelled Uprety (

ISO ISO is the most common abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization. ISO or Iso may also refer to: Business and finance * Iso (supermarket), a chain of Danish supermarkets incorporated into the SuperBest chain in 2007 * Iso ...

: ''Upretī''), is a surname found in the

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

community of Kumaoni

Brahmins Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru o ...

, primarily living in the

Kumaon Kumaon or Kumaun may refer to: * Kumaon division, a region in Uttarakhand, India * Kumaon Kingdom, a former country in Uttarakhand, India * Kumaon, Iran, a village in Isfahan Province, Iran * , a ship of the Royal Indian Navy during WWII See also ...

region of

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...

state of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and all over

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

. A few members of this community are found in

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...

and some other states of India too. According to their traditions they are the descendants of the

sage Sage or SAGE may refer to: Plants * ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb ** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family ** ''Salvia'', a large ...

Mudgala Mudgala (), sometimes also rendered Maudgalya (), is a rishi (sage) in Hinduism. Leading a life of poverty and piety, he is regarded to have mastered the attainment of the state of nirvana. The Maudgalya Brahmanas are said to trace their descent ...

, the teacher of

Hindu deity Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. The terms and epithets for deities within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Ishvari, Bhagavān and Bhagavati. The deities of Hinduism have evolved ...

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...

and the one who introduced Om in his teachings to Ganesha. Adherent of

Shaivism Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...

sect, they worship

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

as their prime deity.People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Three edited by A. Hasan & J. C. Das Part Three pages 1545 to 1549 Manohar Publications

Etymology

According to

Badri Datt Pandey Pandit Badri Datt Pande (15 February 1882 – 13 January 1965) was an Indian historian, freedom fighter, Social Reformer and subsequently, a Member of Parliament from Almora in independent India. Along with Govind Ballabh Pant, he was one of th ...

's book ''Kumaon Ka Itihas'' () where he quotes

Pandit A Pandit ( sa, पण्डित, paṇḍit; hi, पंडित; also spelled Pundit, pronounced ; abbreviated Pt.) is a man with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge whether it is shashtra (Holy Books) or shastra (Wea ...

Rudra Datt Pant, (pp. 572) - "During the times of the

Katyuri kings The Katyuri kings were a medieval Hindu Rajput's ruling clan of Khasha origin from Joshimath that ruled over the regions in present day regions of Kumaon, Uttarakhand in India and parts of Doti/Sudurpashchim Province in Nepal from 700 to 1200 ...

, from the Chauki village of

Doti Doti ( ne, डोटी), also known as Doti region, Dotigarh (डोटीगढ़) as used in the Jagar (folk tales; जागर), in the Farwestern region of Nepal (Sudurpashchim Province), is a region situated between River Kali bordering ...

, a

Kanyakubja Brahmin Kanyakubja Brahmins are a Brahmin community mainly found in northern India. They are classified as one of the Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities native to the north of the Vindhyas. Kanyakubja Brahmins are also considered most Martial of all B ...

named Shambhu Sharma came to Kali Kumaon and settled in Uprara village of

Pithoragarh district Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...

, hence the descendants were called Upretis." According to another source, around 450 A.D. to 550 A.D. Lalchan Bhatta came to

Achham District Achham ( ne, अछाम जिल्ला ) is a district located in Sudurpashchim province of Nepal. It is one of the nine districts of the province. The district, with Mangalsen as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,692 km ...

from Vidyanagar,

Jalandhar Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...

to serve a new king. The highly sought

yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297-299, 331 Th ...

was rewarded as Royal Priest by the king. During his tenure as a Royal Priest he didn't take any money nor gifts. Due to this the king awarded the great priest the ''Uparati'' title. This was the highest title awarded by that king at that time. Therefore, ''Uparati'' is meant as someone who is literate and has no desire for earthly wonders. Later on, the word ''Uparati'' corrupted to form ''Upreti''. According to an interview with Yogi Narhari Nath in 1996 he stated that, ‘Upreti is not just a

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

or a

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...

but it is an award.’ According to him, there used to live a sage named

Mugu District Mugu District ( ne, मुगु जिल्ला ), a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Gamgadhi as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population (2011) of 55,286. ...

of Nepal. It is said that during the

Ashvamedha Yajna The Ashvamedha ( sa, अश्वमेध, aśvamedha, translit-std=IAST) was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Shrauta, Śrauta tradition of Historical Vedic religion, Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their im ...

Baliraja Bali-rāja (r. c. 986–990 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the area around Naddula (present-day Nadol in Rajasthan). He was involved in a conflict with the Paramara king Munja, with both sides claim ...

the chief priest (

Purohit Purohita ( sa, पुरोहित), in the Hindu context, means ''chaplain'' or ''family priest'' within the Vedic priesthood. In Thailand and Cambodia, it refers to the royal chaplains. Etymology The word ''purohita'' derives from the S ...

) was

Vashishtha Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha a ...

while secondary priests (Upa-purohita) were the descendants of Mudgala. Therefore, it is also thought that the word Upa-purohita was twisted to make the surname Upreti.

History

In the same section of his book, Badri Datt Pandey mentions about the famous Pandit Ram Datt Jyotirvidji, who says that Uprara/Upretyara, the estate of the then royal priests Upretis in

Gangolihat Gangolihat is a Himalayan hill station in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, India. It is said that here Adi Shankaracharya did penance to please Adi Shakti. Gangolihat is known for its Shakti Peeth of Haat Kalika Temple - Adi Shakti an ...

was given to the Dravida Vajpayee Brahmin Shivaprasad who came to Kumaon during the reign of Mankoti kings. During the time of the

Gorkhas The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India. The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Go ...

, Pandit Jayakrishna Upreti was a famous General whose descendants continue to live in

Almora Almora ( Kumaoni: ''Almāḍ'') is a municipal board and a cantonment town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Almora district. Almora is located on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills of the ...

. Badri Datt Pandey mentions that within Kumaoni Brahmins, the Upretis of Patiya, Jhijhar, and Supakot have a common descent, whereas other Upreti's belong to a different group (pp. 572). He also quotes that Pandit Ganga Datt Upreti claims that a few Upretis are also the original inhabitants of

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

state of the

Western India Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of its western part. The Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative division includes the states of Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra along with the Union te ...

region who later migrated to the Kumaon region. Thus those who claim to have Kanyakubja origins would have migrated to the

Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

during the Islamic invasions of the twelfth century, whereas the one from Maharashtra would have moved northward along with the

Marathas The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...

in the seventeenth century. The former seems more plausible as the Chand dynasty who ruled the

Kumaon Kingdom Kumaon Kingdom was an independent Himalayan kingdom in the eastern region of present-day Uttarakhand state of India. It was established around 7th century and remained an independent and sovereign kingdom until 1791. Etymology Kumaon is beli ...

from the tenth century onward, after the reign of the Katyuris, came from

Kannauj Kannauj ( Hindustani pronunciation: ənːɔːd͡ʒ is a city, administrative headquarters and a municipal board or Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city's name is a corrupted form of the class ...

. They also migrated to Nepal along with other Brahmins from

under the royal patronage of the Hindu Kingdom when the Kumaon region was under the control of the Gorkhas till the

Treaty of Sugauli The Treaty of Sugauli (also spelled Sugowlee, Sagauli and Segqulee), the treaty that established the boundary line of Nepal, was signed on 4 March 1816 between the East India Company and Guru Gajaraj Mishra following the Anglo-Nepalese War ...

with

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

in 1815 A.D.

Notable people with Upreti as a surname

Almoda Rana Uprety Almoda Rana Uprety is a Nepalese singer. He has released songs such as "Funtastic (Pani Paryo)", "Kaile Vetne Khai" , "Timi Ma Sanga",- - Kaile Vetne Khai 2 (Nyasro)" and "Jyanle Timlai". Early life Almoda started his career after being the s ...

; Nepalese singer and musician * Arun Kumar Upreti, Indian politician *

Bharat Raj Upreti Bharat Raj Upreti (July 8, 1950 – May 24, 2015) was a justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal and a senior advocate. Career Bharat Raj Upreti completed his Bachelor in Commerce (B.Com.) and Diploma in Law from Tribhuwan University. In 1980, Upre ...

; Former judge of the Supreme Court of Nepal * Bishal Nath Upreti; Nepalese academician *

Dalip Kumar Upreti Dalip Kumar Upreti (born 26 January 1958) is an Indian lichenologist.ENVIS C ...

; Indian lichenologist * Kharananda Upreti; Indian politician * Kul Prasad Uprety, Nepalese politician *

Mohan Upreti Mohan Upreti (1928–1997) was an Indian theatre director, playwright and a music composer, considered one of the pioneers in Indian theatre music. A popular figure in Kumaon, Mohan Upreti is remembered for his immense contribution towards the ...

; Indian playwright and theater personality *

Nikhil Upreti Nikhil Upreti or Nikhil Uprety ( ne, निखिल उप्रेती) (born 16 May 1974) is a Nepalese film actor, film director, producer and martial artist. One of the most popular and successful actors in history of Nepali Cinema, he is ...

; Nepalese actor * Nilkantha Upreti; Former Chief Election Commissioner of Nepal * Sanjeev Uprety; Nepalese journalist

References

{{Chhetri communities Indian surnames Surnames of Indian origin Surnames of Hindustani origin Nepali-language surnames Hindu surnames Himalayan peoples Social groups of India Social groups of Nepal Social groups of Uttarakhand Brahmin communities of Nepal Brahmin communities of Uttarakhand Khas surnames