Matsya Festival

Matsya Festival is one of the most popular festivals of Rajasthan, showcasing the rich social and cultural heritage of the region. Celebrated in the region of Alwar, the festival is attended by thousands of people every year, including locals, national and international tourists. The celebration of Matsya Festival marks prosperity, traditional values and colourful customs. This festival showcases colorful processions, cultural performances, sporting events and artistic exhibitions.

The Matsya Festival is usually held during the last week of November.

About Alwar

An exciting tourist destination and a prominent district of Rajasthan, Alwar is abundantly blessed with nature, wildlife and water bodies. The place boasts of a rich cultural heritage that goes back to 1500 BC. Nestled in the lap of the green hills of the Aravalli range, the deep valleys and thick forest cover of the hills are a haven for many species.

It is this splendor and exquisite architecture, along with the calm lakes, royal hunting chalets, dense jungles and a socio-cultural environment unlike any other that makes Alwar a traveller’s delight.

Matsya Festival Significance

Matsya is a Sanskrit word for Fish. According to Hindu traditions, it is used as a symbol of Lord Vishnu.? In fact, Matsya is considered as one of the many avatars of Lord Vishnu, which is believed to have protected Manu, the primary man, from the considerable gush of water.

In the Vedic Period, one of the Indo-Aryan clans framed their Kingdom named Matsya Mahajanpada, which was situated south of Kurus and west of Yamuna River. This place is now divided into Alwar, Bharatpur, and Jaipur urban communities. The capital of Matsya is Viratnagari which is presently known as Bairat.

Matsya Festival Amusement

The two day Festival comprises of various adventure sports such as parasailing, hot air balloon ride and zorbing ball. The Matsya Festival also includes Alwar Darshan or local sightseeing to help tourists get an insight of the lifestyle and customs of the locals.

An archaeology exhibition called Dharohar is also held at the festival destination. One of the highlights of the festival is the Shehnai-wadan (also known as flute recital) by eminent artists. There are many other types of competition and contests involving native folk dances, songs and music that keep the audiences enthralled for two whole days.

The celebration includes several traditional games played by the locals; one of the prominent one is the ‘Rumal Jhapatta’. Here the players have to show their speed skills in grabbing a handkerchief or ‘rumal’ kept on the ground. Rassa Kassi is another popular game of the festival. It is the local version of the popular game tug-of-war and played by women in their colorful traditional attire. Teer Andazi is archery and one of the popular games at the festival that’s played by locals with bows and arrows made with native materials.