This is our ancestors' true storey, From Tamil to Rajasthan. Our ancestors have migrated throughout the known world.

They were Villavars (Bowmen or Archers)and their allies Minavars or meenavars(fishermen)who formed kingdoms from Pakistan to Sri Lanka

(The Meenavar are a Hindu caste found in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. In the ancient times Rajasthan was ruled by a dynasty of Meenas which had the emblem of Fish like the Pandyan kingdom of the south. The Meena kingdom ruled the east of the river Jamuna roughly corresponding to the modern Jaipur and Alwar (ruler) areas.

Meenavars are the very ancient peoples of tamilnadu. Meenavars formed the pandiyan dynasty and give the fish symbol for that meenavars are the kings,rulers and warriors of pandiyan dynasty.They are known to be as Pandiya Kula Kshatriyas.

zoom

Nadars are Villavar rulers of Pandyan Country

REF-^TALK

Villavars (Bowmen or archers)and Meenavars (fishermen) are the two ancient dynasties among the Dravidians who ruled the whole of India in the ancient times.The Villavar may represent the Cheras while Minavar many represent Pandyas. The Minavars and Villavars founded the Pandyan kingdom in the ancient times. Nadars are the Villavar warriors of the Pandyan kingdom or the Meenavar kingdom who formed the ruling dynasty

zoom (*Chera Kings- Bow and Arrow)( *Chola kings- Tiger flag )(*Pandya Kings- Fish flag)

The Villavar (Archer) Rulers Pandyan or Panayudaya nadu(Thamraparni area with the capital at Tenkasi)who integrated the Meenavar or fishermen country founded the ancient Pandyan dynasty with the capital at Korkai. (Pandya Kings- Fish flag)

Cheras, Cholas & Pandyas “

During Sangam age south India

The related Villavar clans of Kerala founded the Chera dynasty.The Chera kingdom had Bow and arrow as the insignia. The Chera kings added the title Villavar to their titles. All the Villavar clans added the title Alwar,Alvar or Aluvar. Similarly the Thulu Pandyan dynasty (The Alupas kingdom) added Aluvar or Aluva or Alwa.

Uthiyan Cheralathan, also known as Perum Chorru Udiyan Cheralathan and Udiyanjeral is the first recorded Chera ruler of the Sangam period in ancient South India, ruled around 130 A.D.

BHIL MEENAS OF RAJASTAN

In north India Villavar and Meenavar are Bhil Meenas of Rajastan, Meenas of Rajastan and Bhils of North India who form the Rajput Kshatriya clans.

Nadars are Villavar Bowmen warriors who mixed with Meenavar or fishermen and assumed the title Nadalvar (rulers of the country)or Meenavan or Pandiyan.

REF-^TALK

In the ancient times Rajasthan was ruled by a dynasty of Meenas which had the emblem of Fish like the Pandyan kingdom of the south.

The meena kingdom (Fish kingdom) was called Matsya Kingdom in Sanskrit was mentioned in the Rig Veda. The Bhil Meenas could correspond to the Dravidian Villavar (Chera) and Meenavar (Pandya Kingdom)respectively and may descend from indigenous Dravidian rulers (Alwars) originally.

Most of the Bhil Meenavar were aryanised even during the Vedic Period (1500 BC) and were considered as Vedic Tribes and had adopted Indo Aryan languages but a minority of the Bhil (tribal) Meenas still talk Dravidian as their mother tongue.

1. Bhils and Meenas are included in the Kshatriya Varna.In the later days the Bhils and Meenas mixed with the Pardeshis or Rajputs who were Scythian, Hepthalite or other Central Asian clans.
2. The Scythian mixed Meenas and Bhils remain as Rajput subclans while the Meenas and Bhils who were displaced by the Scythian invaders and Muslims have mixed with the tribal Bhils and form the Bhil (tribal) meenas who still talk a Dravidian tongue and still considered as Rajputs. Bhil meenas are also found in parts of North eastern India and Sind area of Pakistan.

REF-^{https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/8193857}

Aryanised and Dravidian

Nadars evolve from the ancient twin communities called Villavars(Archers) and Meenavars(Fishermen)(Bhils and Meenas could be the North Indian equivalent).The Pandiyan kingdom was perhaps founded by the Villavars (Bowmens- Hunters)in the prehistory dating 8 to 10 thousand years.

The Villavars(Bowman)and Meenavars(Fishermen)were Tamils and they form the nucleus of the Dravidian civilization in India.

The Villavar Nobility who mixed with the Meenavar Nobility assumed the title Nadalvar and became the rulers of the Pandyan kingdom.

The Nadars of Tamil nadu,Nadavas of Karnataka Nalavar of Sri Lanka all derive their title from the ancient Tamil title Nadalvar the lords of the land.(Nadu = country)Alvar (Aluvar,Alupas)=rulers).

Other titles of Pandiyan rulers are Maran,Mara rayan Nelveli maran Cheeveli Maran, Maveli etc. The lords were called Karukku Pattayathar(Defenders),Sivanthi(Suicidal army), Adityan (overlord)Kodimarathar (defenders of flags), Nadan, Nattar Nadalvan etc. Many of these titles still used by the Nadar community.

Many North Indian RAJPUT OR KSHATRIYA KINGDOMS of North India also may have their origins in BHILS(VILLAVAR) and MEENAS(MEENAVAR) though now they are Aryanised and talk Hindi(Many Bhils still talk a Dravidian tongue .

origins of BHILS(VILLAVAR) and MEENAS(MEENAVAR)

---

*Nadalvar or Mara Nadalvar is the correct name for the Kshatriyas of Pandiya Kula Alvars (Kshatriyas).

REF-^{Converting Women: Gender and Protestant Christianity in Colonial South India} AUTHOR-^{Eliza F. Kent Oxford University Press, 01-Apr-2004 - Religion}

Nadar or Nadalvars are the Villavars who mixed with the Meenavar in the ancient times and founded the Mara Nadar dynasty of the Pandyan kingdom. Nadavas of Karnataka of the Tulu Pandyan kingdom may have common origins.

Villavars and Meenavars founded most of the Indian kingdoms ancient times. In the North India they were called Bhils and Meenas.

REF-^talk

Indus Valley & Dravidians

Harappa seals belonging to the Indus Valley civilization have large numbers of pictures of fish. According to Professor Asko Parpola, fish is also one of the most popular motifs of the early Harappan painted pottery. This short article presents a hypothesis on the significance of the fish symbol in Harappan seals.

Most scholars of Indus Valley civilization believe that it was a Dravidian or proto-Dravidian civilization. Tamil language is one of the oldest of Dravidian languages. Presently Tamil people live in the southern region of the Indian peninsula and in the north-eastern region of the Sri Lankan Island.

the ancestry of Tamils?

Legend has it that there was a large landmass south of the Indian peninsula called the continent of Kumari (Kumari Kandam).

Kumari Kandam or Lemuria – The Continent which sank in the Sea

Westerners refer to this ancient continent as "Lemuria". There is geological evidence that there was, in fact, a landmass south of the Indian peninsula. According to legend and some literary references, Tamils populated this continent and kings belonging to the Pandyan dynasty (Pandya dynasty) ruled the land. This landmass submerged and some of the population came north to what is today the Indian subcontinent. It is possible that Tamils (or Dravidians) lived in India already and the "refugees" joined them. It is also quite conceivable that there was some migration and interaction between the north and south even before the tragic event. After the submergence of the southern landmass, Pandyan kings established their kingdom in southern India with Madurai as their capital. They ruled from Madurai as late as the 14-th Century AD. Their country, which was part of Tamil Nadu, was called Pandyanadu (or Pandya Nadu).

Padynan dynasty is the oldest of the three ruling dynasties of Tamil Nadu, namely,

the Chera, Chola and Pandya dynasties.

Conclusion:-

The royal emblem of the Padya dynasty is fish. Tamil word for fish is "Meen". Pandyan king is sometimes referred to as "meenavan". Their deity is "Meenatchi" (or Meenashi or Meenakshi). "Meen" means fish (as we said before), and "aatchi" means rule. Thus the name "Meenatchi" may mean "one who rules over the Pandyan dynasty". Even today there is a temple for goddess Meenatchi (Meenashi) in Madurai. Thus fish is an important symbol for Tamils. So the fish symbols in Harappan seals may refer to their ancestral king and/or the goddess. courtesy to http://www.tamiltribune.com

Bibliographic information

Title	Meenavar
Editors	Frederic P. Miller, Agnes F. Vandome, McBrewster John
Publisher	VDM Publishing, 2010
ISBN	613189292X, 9786131892929
Length	104 pages
Subjects	Social Science › General Social Science / General

REFERENCES

1. ^ V., Kanakasabhai (1997). The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago. Asian Educational Services.
2. ^ Perumal Thirumozhi
3. ^ Pandyan Inscription
4. ^ [C:\Documents and Settings\winxp\Desktop\History\Book 2 Cosmos Taprobane Brachman India Cosmas.mht# Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 23-90. Book 2 ]
5. ^ Villavar

Timeline of Ancient history of Rajasthan

The spectacular Amber Fort (Amer Fort), the original palace of the city's founding dynasty from the 1590s to 1727, is now within its boundaries, as is the impregnable Jaigarh Fort, with Nahargarh Fort giving the best views over the sprawling city.(Ref)

---

Timeline

• 10,000 BC: Stone Age paintings created in the Bhimbetka rock shelters, in what is now Madhya Pradesh; the art continues here for many centuries. Settlements thought to exist across the subcontinent.

• 4500-3200 BC: Mesolithic site of Bagor
• 3000-2000 BC: Chalcolithic culture of Ganeshwar, Balathal and Ahar
• 2600 BC: Mature Harappan phase of the Indus Valley Civilization begins covering the city of Kalibangan
• 1500–1200 BC: The Rig-Veda, the first and longest of Hinduism’s canonical texts, the Vedas, is written; three more books follow. Earliest forms of priestly Brahmanical Hinduism emerge.
• 700 BC: Matsya Kingdom, one of the sixteen Mahajanpadas, its capital was Viratnagar, modern day Bairat
• 540 BC: The writing of the Mahabharata begins. The longest epic in the world, it takes nearly 250 years to complete and mentions settlements such as Indraprastha, Pushkar and Chittorgarh.

• 300 BC- 300 AD: Period of small Republics and Kingdoms like Malava, Shivi, Arjunayana, Yaudheya etc.7th century AD: Chavda dynasty establish its rule in south Rajasthan with its capital at Bhinmal.
• 700 AD Chinese traveler visits a few cities in Rajasthan
• 1113 Ajay raj II shifted his capital to Ajaymeru(Ajmer) from Shakambhari
• 1137 Kachwaha set up Dhundhar
• 1156 Rao Jaisal Singh establishes Jaisalmer state-
• 1576 Battle of Haldighati

Ancestry of Jaipur Rulers

Jaipur Branch: 1.Dhola Rae (1036-1046) → 2.Kankal → 3.Maidul Rao → 4.Hundeo → 5.Kuntal → 6.Pujun ()→ 7.Malesi(1095-1147) → 8.Bijul (1147-1180) → 9.Rajdeo (1180-1216) → 10.Kitun (1216-1276) → 11.Kontul (1276-1318) → 12.Junsi (1318-1367) → 13.Udaikurn (1367-1389) → 14.Nursing → 15.Bunbir → 16.Udharun → 17.Khundrasen → 18.Pirthi Raj → 19.Baharma → 20.Bhagwan Dass → 21.Maan Singh → 22.Rao Bhao Singh → 23.Maha → 24.Jai Singh → 25.Ram Singh → 26. Bishen Singh → 27.Sawai Jai Singh 28.Bahadur Shah → 29.Ishwari Singh → 30.Pirthi Singh II → 31.Pratap Singh → 32.Raja Jagat Singh → 33.Mohan Singh → 34.Jai Singh → Raja 35.Ram Singh (1842)

This is not history, history means origin.
Wikipedia : Jaipur the capital of Rajasthan state in India was founded in 1727 by Maharaj Jai Singh II,[1] who ruled Jaipur State from 1699–1744. Initially his capital was Amber,

Me: Why the history start from 1727 ? Where is the history from 1 BC to 1727 AD ? . With due respect i request the admin, please review it or give me permission to write the untold history of Rajasthan? Matsyameena (talk) 18:38, 4 September 2020 (UTC)

Reply

Wiki link at bottom

Wikipedia the source of sources

The oral history .

The oral history preserved in the traditional folktales and folklores of this tribe affirm the kingdom of Meena (Mindesh) with its capital at Amber.”Meena history spread over eleventh (11th) and twelfth (12th) century AD.^[1]

Colorizedimage_of_ancient_ALWAR_(ULWUR).png

Oral History- tells the heroic tales of violent clashes between Meena and Rajput chiefs are centered around Dhundhar- the ancient kingdom of the Meenas. The name Dhundhar is derived from a celebrated sacrificial mount on the western frontiers near Jobner.^[2]

At the beginning of the eleventh century, the Kachchhwahs (turtles) from Narwar snatched the territory from the Meenas (fish) of the Matsya region and established the mighty Kachhwaha kingdom of Amber.

The meena's will never give up that’s why RAJPUT and British attack them while they are weaponless

MATSYA to MEENA

Content warning: contains racist language and descriptions of violence.

MATSYA or MEENA was the name of a KSHATRIYA TRIBE

The Rig Veda mentions Pure Kshatriya tribes of ancient India which includes Bhāratas, Meenas, etc.

• MATSYA-The Matsya King virata is Dravidian ?

• MANU-The father of the future generations of men. THE MANU

• MEENA-King VIRĀTA of Matsya kingdom

End of legendary Meena's King

The Meena King (Raja Ralun Singh) also known as Alan Singh Chanda of Khogong. Kind-heartedly adopted a stranded Rajput mother and her child who sought refuge in his realm. Later, the Meena king sent the child, Dhola Rae, to Delhi to represent the Meena kingdom.

The Rajput, in gratitude for these favours, returned with Rajput conspirers and massacred the weaponless Meenas on Diwali while performing rituals i.e. Pitra Trapan, it is customary in the Meenas to be weaponless at the time of PitraTrapan.

[Tod.II.281] and thus conquered Khogong. This act of Kachwaha Rajputs was termed as most coward and shameful in history.^[3][4]

ANCIENT INDUS VALLEY & MATSYA

The find from this site belong to the mature Harappan phase as well as later-era PGW phase (Vedic period). The Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) probably corresponds to the middle and late Vedic period, i.e., the Kuru-Panchala kingdom, the first large state in South Asia after the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) chiefdoms in the region were succeeded by Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW).

From c. 700-500 BCE, associated with the rise of the great mahajanapada states (mahajanapada states Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena and Vatsa)^[5]

Sign of matsya in indus valley civilization

Indus Fish symbol and Vishnu Another interesting coincidence is ‘Vishnu Sahasra nama ‘ describes Vishnu as a Fish –‘Rohithaya’ (name 364). More over Lord Vishnu’s first incarnation was a Fish ( Matsya Avatar) and many Indus scholars agree that the Indus fish symbol denotes god. Fish is drawn on many seals and objects in the Indus valley. This animals are worshipped by the Hindus for thousands of years.

Seal from indus valley , we can saw the FISH sign in many seals and it may refers to an ancient kingdom (matsya kingdom)^[6]

Seal from indus valley , we can saw the FISH sign in many seals and it may refers to an ancient kingdom (matsya kingdom)

“The meena's are possibly of inner Asiatic origin, and tradition suggests that they migrated to India in the 7th century . According to evidences and scholars, Meena tribe is one of the oldest tribal community,residing since 30,000 years. Around 7000 BCE, the first known Neolithic settlements appeared on the subcontinent in Mehrgarh.These gradually developed into the Indus Valley Civilisation, the first urban culture in South Asia .

In the Vedic period, around the 5th century BCE, the chiefdoms of the Ganges Plain and the north-western regions had consolidated into 16 major oligarchies and monarchies that were known as the mahajanapadas, in which Matsya janpad of Meena tribe established their kingdom in Rajasthan.

Meengarh(Meena kingdom) was situated somewhere on the bank of river Indus. Here, there were some 152 states of Meenas^[7][8][9]. This is contemporary to the period of Indus Valley Civilization (2600 to 1800 bc). The Jaga-ke-pothi mentions that from these 152 states, originated 152 original gotras of Meenas.Matsya Kingdom(proper) & Kalibangan in Rajasthan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization.^[10]

References

1. ↑ Misra, Pramod; Kapoor, A. K. (2002-03). "Ecology, Economy and Culture : An anthropological profile of the Meena, a Scheduled Tribe of Rajasthan". Social Change. 32 (1–2): 1–26. doi:10.1177/004908570203200201. ISSN 0049-0857. Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. ↑ Neetu, Singh (2016). "An Anthropological Study of Meena Tribe of Rajasthan". shodhganga.
3. ↑ tod (1829). Annals and antiquities of Rajast'han, or the central and western Rajpoot states of India. London : Smith, Elder and Co.
4. ↑ Tod, James, 1782-1835. ((1994 printing)). Annals and antiquities of Rajasthan or the Central and Western Rajput States of India. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 81-208-0398-1. OCLC 34871411. Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ↑ Bhan, Suraj (2006-12-01). "North Indian Protohistory and Vedic Aryans". Ancient Asia. 1: 173. doi:10.5334/aa.06115. ISSN 2042-5937.
6. ↑ Karmarkar, A. P. (1943). "THE FISH IN INDIAN FOLKLORE AND THE AGE OF THE ATHARVAVEDA". Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. 24 (3/4): 191–206. ISSN 0378-1143.
7. ↑ daymihoule.myddns.me http://daymihoule.myddns.me/707.html. Retrieved 2020-09-05. Missing or empty |title= (help)
8. ↑ "Linguistic Survey Of India". lsi.gov.in. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
9. ↑ "CENSUS OF INDIA 1961" (PDF). PART VI-. VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPHS. line feed character in |journal= at position 10 (help)
10. ↑ "INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION Related Articles". www.amazines.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.

External links

• www.example.com

Wikipedia link click here

There definitely is lost treasure in India. Unfortunately, I have not researched any of them. That would have to be up to you. I would suggest checking at your local library. If you can’t find any information in the stacks, seek out the Reference Librarian. They have ways of finding the information you seek.

Happy hunting

1. Alwar Fort, RajasthanDuring the exile of Emperor Jehangir, the emperor sought refuge in Alwar Fort of Rajasthan. It is believed that he hid a great deal of treasure here while he was on the run. While some of it was found, there was quite some part of it still uncovered.
2. Mughal Treasure of Alwar, Rajasthan – Alwar Fort is about 150 km from Delhi in the Alwar District of Rajasthan. According to local folklore, Mughal Emperor Jehangir took refuge here when he was exiled and that he hid his treasure here while on the run. It is believed that not all of the treasure was salvaged and most of it still lies hidden in the fort. Even before the rise of Mughal Empire, Kingdom of Alwar was a prosperous one and its treasure among other things is believed to have consisted of a drinking cup cut out of a single emerald.
3. Jaigarh Fort, JaipurWhen Man Singh I was on his way from the Afghan conquest, he had a huge chest of treasure with him. Sources have revealed that he never shared all the treasure with the king. He hid some of it in Jaigarh Fort. There is also a parallel story which states that the then PM Indira Gandhi, ordered a search in hunt of the treasure. No one knows how successful the hunt was. So, by all means, the treasure lays hidden in the fort and you might stand a fair chance of getting lucky.
4. Jaigarh Fort treasure – The massive treasure hoard is consituted of more than twenty different types of precious stones, including diamonds, rubies, emeralds and opals, almost all faceted with great craftsmanship and ability. The amount of jewellery and stones is just incredible, totalling an incredible 350 kilograms. On top of that, the stash also contained many ancient ceramics and crystalware item of inestimable value. A group of construction workers employed to the restoration of the ancient Moghul structure near Jaipur, in Rajasthan, have uncovered last week, an incredible stash of jewellery and gemstones that could be worth billions of dollars.

What happened to Jaigarh Fort’s treasure and its connection with Indira Gandhi?

Credit: ThinkStock Photos
Rajasthan has a special aura, and then there is this feel in its ambience that one cannot experience anywhere else. Wondering what? Once you find yourself in Rajasthan, you have an eerie feeling as if you have stepped in history and could relive battles that were fought here.

In fact, Rajasthan is home to forts and structures like the Jaigarh Fort that whisper some intriguing tales of horror and betrayal. Also, Rajasthan served as a battlefield for many important battles. Here, the Battle of Jalore in 1310 – 11 was fought in which Alauddin Khilji defeated Kanhad Deo after a long tiring war; the two famous Mughal invasions of Marwar by Akbar in 1562 – 1583, and Aurangzeb in 1679 – 1707. Not to forget, the Battle of Sammel was fought here in 1544.

So, it is not difficult to imagine what more Rajasthan can offer you when it has been such a hot field for battle and betrayal. The entire region is basking with forts, palaces, havelis that stand tall to tell the tales of horror and glory. Yet, if you flip the pages of history, you will find that humankind has not changed in all these years, for we have still have wars raging on.
Photo by:  Ankto420, Creative Commons Attribution Licence
Jaigarh Fort is one glaring example that bears witness to torture from both past and present. If it was exploited in its heyday, the fort suffered in our hands even during the 20th century. Once you are in this opulent structure, there is a lot than what meets your eyes.

This article digs all the intriguing facts to gauge Jaigarh Fort’s interesting history. However, before jumping guns, let us explore Jaigarh Fort in detail.

A little about Jaigarh Fort
Built between 15th and 18th centuries, Jaigarh Fort is a tourist’s delight. To get an overview of Rajasthan’s history and culture, a trip to this fort might enlighten you. Also known as the ‘Victory Fort’, the structure and built of the fort will give you a glimpse of medieval India.
Credit: ThinkStock Photos
It once used to be the centre, where royal treasury was kept and even acted as the defence system of Amer. It was built in 1726 AD by Sawan Jai Singh II and sits at several hundred feet above the sea level. The almost-intact fort is enclosed by huge walls and is connected to the Amer Fort with subterranean passages. It is believed to be built to protect the Amer Fort and is one of the strongest monuments of Jaipur.

More intriguing facts about Jaigarh Fort
The unending walls ― No matter where you are in Amer, one thing that you can see from anywhere are the huge red walls of Jaigarh Fort. The walls seem endless, which are basically made up of sandstones and cover an area of 3 km.
Credit: ThinkStock Photos
Jaivana ― It is the world’s largest wheeled cannon ever constructed, located in Jaigarh Fort. The cannon was built in the fort itself. But, however big its size is, it was never used during an actual battle. Irony!

The mysterious water tank ― The water tank behind the cannon is like any regular water tank, though huge in size. It has rainwater harvesting facility, and has the potential to store around 6 million gallons of water. The water tank has been a matter of discussion not just in the early centuries, but also in the 20th century.

It is believed that Kachwaha Dynasty used this fort to store their treasures. In fact, legends have it that the fort has chambers below the tank, where the loot from a successful siege by Maharaja Man Singh was hidden.

Jaigarh Fort and its connection with Indira Gandhi
During its heyday, it stood tall as a protector of Amer Fort, while in the recent times too the fort managed to create quite a stir with its intriguing tales, which are believed to be rumours. It was during the Emergency in 1977, that the fort found itself in the midst of political turmoil. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched a search operation in all buildings on a tip-off that the fort’s water tanks and precincts had hidden treasure stored in huge amounts.
Photo by:  Meenal2107, Creative Commons Attribution Licence
At this point of time, Gayatri Devi was imprisoned and Indira Gandhi though it to be the apt time to search Jaipur royal properties for treasure. It is still debatable whether Indira Gandhi was able to lay her hands on the treasure, or the search operation turned futile and had to be called off.

Yet, one thing cannot be discarded, rumours cannot hold their ground for long if there is no truth attached to them. Chances are still high that the Jaigarh and Amer forts are still guarding the treasures in full might. Maybe someday, someone…

REF ^{A History of Jaipur: C. 1503-1938By Jadunath Sarkar}

The Minas are a non-Aryan tribe who occupied and ruled Jaipur territory till they were dispossessed of their lands and reduced to sub- jection by the advancing waves of Rajput colonization in the thirteenth century, as the Gaels of Scotland were ousted by the more civilized Saxons and driven away from the plains to the Highland.

Ethnologist hold that the Meos Of Mewat and the Minas Of Rajputana and the Punjab are really of a common origin—

the Meos are at least nominally Muhammadans by religion, while the Minas are Hindus.

Philologists derive the name of their cradleland Mewat from the Sanskrit Mina-wati or 'rich in fish'. The term matsya-desh or fish-country was applied to this region up to the north-eastern part of Jaipur in the ancient Hindu epics.

Russell writes,

it is recognised that the Minas are a caste of the most mixed and impure descent (probably from Rajput immigrant fathers and aboriginal mothers) ... Another piece of evidence of the Dravidian of the tribe is the fact that there exists even now a group of Dehdia or impure Minas, who do not refug to eat cow's Flesh .

The Chaukidari Minas, disposessed of their lands, resorted to the hills, and here they developed into a community of thieves and bandits recruited from all the out castes of society.

But whatever may be their true ethnic origin, today the Minas of upper Rajputana are Hindus of the straitest sect; all castes of Hin- dus (except brahmans and banias only) will partake of food which has been prepared by them, and even these two castes will drink water which has been drawn by a Mina'. ^{(Col. Hervey) Sir Denzil Ibbetson wrote in 1881,}

The Minas are the boldest of our criminal classes... In Marwar they are armed with small bows which do considerable execution. They travel geat distance in gangs of from twelve to twenty men, practising robbery and dacoity as far as the Deccan. They have agents in all the large cities Rajputana and the Deccan who give them information. The criminal Minas are now said inhabit a tract of country about 65 miles long and 40 it-retching from Shahpura (some 40 miles north of Jaipur) to Guraora in the Gurgaon district on the Rohtak border.

Before the Rajput penetration, the central region of. Jaipur State was ruled by a number of petty Mina chieftains each living in his fort. carrying on depredations on the trade caravans, and owing a very loose allegiance to the Mina Rajah of who was nominally the head of the clan. The incoming Kachhwas, under their Rajah Dulha Rai and his successors, conquered the forts of these aboriginal chiefs and reduced their race to subjection; but the chiefs were given jagirs, which their descendants still enjoy

Originally, these tribal chiefs reduced to landlords were twelve in number, hence they are known as the Bara Mina Baragaon The lands they enjoy were given on service tenure; the condition was that one man was to be produced for the service of the Jaipur rajah for each or 120 bighas of land.

As the descendants of the original grantees multiplied with time, their lands were minutely fragmented, the period Of service Of each shareholder being pro- proportionately reduced. number of such men has increased to 1712 at present. These Minas now perform watch and ward duties .

The Minas are a non-Aryan tribe who occupied and ruled Jaipur territory till they were dispossessed of their lands and reduced to sub- jection by the advancing waves of Rajput colonization in the thirteenth century, as the Gaels of Scotland were ousted by the more civilized Saxons and driven away from the plains to the Highland.

Ethnologist hold that the Meos Of Mewat and the Minas Of Rajputana and the Punjab are really of a common origin—

the Meos are at least nominally Muhammadans by religion, while the Minas are Hindus.

Philologists derive the name of their cradleland Mewat from the Sanskrit Mina-wati or 'rich in fish'. The term matsya-desh or fish-country was applied to this region up to the north-eastern part of Jaipur in the ancient Hindu epics.

Russell writes,

it is recognised that the Minas are a caste of the most mixed and impure descent (probably from Rajput immigrant fathers and aboriginal mothers) ... Another piece of evidence of the Dravidian of the tribe is the fact that there exists even now a group of Dehdia or impure Minas, who do not refug to eat cow's Flesh .

The Chaukidari Minas, disposessed of their lands, resorted to the hills, and here they developed into a community of thieves and bandits recruited from all the out castes of society.

But whatever may be their true ethnic origin, today the Minas of upper Rajputana are Hindus of the straitest sect; all castes of Hin- dus (except brahmans and banias only) will partake of food which has been prepared by them, and even these two castes will drink water which has been drawn by a Mina'. ^{(Col. Hervey) Sir Denzil Ibbetson wrote in 1881,}

Towns and villages founded by Meenas

• Amber (Jaipur): Founded by the Meena Raja Alan Singh (He was from Chanda clan of Meenas), Amber was a flourishing settlement as far back as 967 AD.
• Aund Meena (Dausa, Rajasthan)
• Dabla Meena Alwar, Rajasthan)
• Dantala Meena (Jaipur, Rajasthan)
• Gaitor (Jaipur): Gaitor gets name from Meena clan ruler named Gaita Meena prior to its occupation by Dulahrai Kachhwaha. ^[21]

• Gaoda Meena (Karauli, Rajasthan)
• Gohandi Meena (Dausa, Rajasthan)
• Gurha Meena (Jaipur, Rajasthan)
• Jamuniya Meena (Mandsaur, MP)
• Jhotwara (Jaipur): Jhotwara gets name from Meena clan ruler named Jhota Meena prior to its occupation by Dulahrai Kachhwaha. ^[22]
• Kalwar Meena (Karauli, Rajasthan)
• Kankaria Meena (Narsinghgarh, MP)
• Kankaria Meena (Sarangpur Rajgarh, MP)
• Khejda Meena (Rajgarh Madhya Pradesh)
• Kherkhera Meena (Baran,Rajasthan)
• Khilchipur Meena (Karauli, Rajasthan)
• Kotri Meena (Bhilwara, Rajasthan)
• Lasudiya Meena (Rajgarh Madhya Pradesh)
• Meena Baroda (Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan)
• Meena Kheri (Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan)
• Meena Koleta (Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan)
• Meena Seemla (Dausa, Rajasthan)
• Meena Theekri (Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan)
• Meena Ka Khera (Bhilwara, Rajasthan)
• Meena Umariya (Vidisha, MP)
• Meena Ki Nangal (Sikar, Rajasthan)
• Mina Majra (Sonipat, Haryana)
• Nagla Meena (Karauli, Rajasthan)
• Nanukhedi Meena (Agar, MP)
• On Meena (Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan)
• Sikroda Meena (Karauli, Rajasthan)
• Toda Meena (Dausa, Rajasthan)

Meena clans

The Meena tribe is divided into several clans and sub-clans (adakhs), which are named after their ancestors. Some of the adakhs include^[23] :

• Ahari
• Ariat
• Bamna
• Bhagora
• Bhil
• Chanda
• Charpota
• Chita
• Dadia
• Dadore
• Dali
• Damia
• Damore
• Doma
• Ghoghra
• Hela
• Hurat
• Kalsua
• Katara
• Kharadi
• Khat
• Mahinda
• Manaut
• Nanama
• Parihar
• Parmar
• Phargi
• Rana
• Seroh
• Ujwal
• Usarda
• Wagat