The Matsya
Festival of Alwar is a stand out amongst the most illustrious & vital festivals of Rajasthan. Celebrated in late November or early December, Alwar Matsya Utsav
is a multi-day celebration known for exhibiting the rich social culture, legacy
& history of the region. This
exhilarating fiesta offers a stupendous opportunity to experience adventure, the
vibrancy of culture, the fascinating lifestyle, traditions & customs of the
locals.
The term Matsya in Sanskrit is an expression for fish. According to Hindu folklore, Matsya is the fish avatar in the ten primary avatars of Hindu God Vishnu. Matsya avatar of Lord is believed to have rescued Manu (one of the first sapient beings to evolve on the earth) from a great deluge.
During Vedic era,Matsya kingdom was one of the sixteen great kingdoms according to the Hindu epic Mahabharata.This kingdom was a brief union off our princely states of Alwar, Karauli, Bharatpur & Dholpur.
Matsya festival hence holds a substantial cultural & historical value where people from all walks of life gather to participate in the amusement.
1. Adventure
Themyriad of adventure sports exhibited in this two day festival is an ultimate haven for adventure buffs. Usually conducted at and around the Siliserh Lake, these sports offer once in a lifetime opportunity to visitors to satiate their hunger for adventure. Popularly organized adventure rides include:
. A hot air balloon ride that enables you to get a birds-eye view of the splendour & exuberance of the city & the festival.
· Parasailing &
· Zorbing: It is a recreational sport of rolling downhill inside a spherical ball, generally made of transparent plastic.
2. Exhibitions &Sightseeing
Matsya Festival also incorporates Alwar Darshan or local sightseeing to assist travellers to get an insight of the customs, traditions & lifestyle of the locals.
Dharohar, an archaeology exhibition set up to showcase the native archaeological artefacts of Alwar and Rajasthan is also held during this festival.
3. Cultural Programs & Competitions
Shehnai-waden also called as flute recital by eminent artists is the outstanding part of Matsya festival.
Besides, this fiesta enthrals audiences with its plethora of competitions involving songs, native folk dances & music.
4. Traditional Games
The Alwar Matsys Utsav also celebrates the distinguished traditional games of the locals. These include:
· Rumal Jhapatta: This is the most prominent game that requires exemplary speed & agility. Here the players are required to quickly grab a handkerchief kept on the ground. Whoever grabs it first without being caugh twins the game.
· Teer Andazi: Teer Andazi or archery is amongst the popular games at this festival. Traditionally played by the royalty of Rajasthan, at Matsya Festival it is played by locals with arrows and bows prepared with native materials
· Rassa Kassi: Played mainly by women in their colourful traditional attire, Rassa Kassi is the local version of the popular game tug-of-war. It is a competitive team game where the main attribute is to test your strength. On some level, the game depicts feminine power and energy.
Alwar Matsya Festival 2019 will be held on 25th-26th Nov 2019.
Don’t miss this stupendous opportunity to relish the irresistible charm & exhilaration of Matsya Festival extravaganza.