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Bahuguna Clan History

Bahuguna is an Indian Garhwali Brahmin clan, with the same surname,

found in Uttarakhand in northern India. Common variations of the surname were formed during British-India to include "Bahugun","Bhugun","Bhuguna", as reported by Prof. C.Bahuguna in 1967.

The original village of the Bahuguna clan is "Pokhri Chalansyun ''situated near Srinagar Garhwal, the ancient capital of Garhwal. The Kuldevi (Clan deity) of Bahugunas is 'Gaurja'/'Gaura'. The main temple of the Goddess is situated in Devalgarh, which is visible from Bughani. A 'Chauri'(a small common village temple)is located in Bughani. Many Bahugunas migrated from Bughani to different parts of Garhwal and even to Kumaon. Today, there are many more villages inhabited by Bahuguna clan. According to the family history, the land of Odali village was purchased by ancestors from a lady of Dungri Village. According to the book Bahuguna Vansh Charit (page 237) written by Dr. Ram Prasad Bahuguna, one of ancestors of Shri Asha Ramji (who belonged to the 13th generation of Shri Achyuta Nandji) came from Village Bughani (Near Srinagar, Garhwal) to settle in Odali in 1870. This is also corroborated by a map of Odali Village prepared by Shri T. F. Freeman from Survey of India in 1892.''

The legend says that about 800 years ago, three men from a Bandyopadhyay family travelled to the Himalayas. There they came across the king of Garwal who was suffering from a disease that no one had been able to cure. These 3 men from Bengal were very talented. they had a sound knowledge of medicine and astrology. The head of the group, an astrologer and medical practitioner, managed to cure the king. The overjoyed king asked the group leader to stay back in his kingdom and gave him a village to settle. Also, for his amazing knowledge, the king gave him the title "Bahuguna" which actually means "Man of many virtues (qualities)". The group leader from then on worked with the king and his group settled in that village, which is now in the center of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand state in India.

Bahugunas are Garhwali Brahmins of Bharadwaj gotra and are classified as Gangadi Brahmins in Uttarakhand. They form part of the uppermost wrung of 4 Brahmin clans of Garhwal called 'Chauthoki Baaman' along with Uniyal, Dobhal and Dangwal clans. The Bahugunas do not inter-marry. They were called 'Chauthoki Baaman' because they held many important positions in the courts of the Garhwali Kings. Some generations ago, the Chauthoki Baamans did not intermarry with other Gangaadi Brahmins because they held themselves superior in the caste hierarchy.

Notable Bahugunas

 * Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna – former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
 * Rita Bahuguna Joshi – former PCC Chief, Uttar Pradesh and Present BJP Leader.
 * Sundarlal Bahuguna – the pioneer of Chipko Movement
 * Vijay Bahuguna – former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
 * Harsh Vardhan Bahuguna (1939–1971) Indian mountaineer, Padma Shri (1972)
 * Beena Bahuguna, Block Pramukh Raipur, Dehradun, Uttarakhand and Senior Rajya Andolankari.2,3,4
 * Rajesh Bahuguna, Dean & Principal, Law College Dehradun, Uttaranchal.