Machhar

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Machhar (माछर) Machh (माछ) or Mathar (माठर)Machhar (माछर) Mathar (माठर) Matsya (मत्स्य) Michharwal (मिछारवाल) is gotra of Jats. There is a village named Karala of this gotra people near Delhi. This gotra is based on place. Matsya is its Sanskrit equivalent. ^[1] Megasthenes has described this gotra as Mese (Matsya), along with, The Amatae (Antal), Bolingae (Balyan), Gallitalutae (Gahlot), Dimuri (Dahiya), Megari (Maukhari), Ordabae (Buria), towards the Indus come, in an order which is easy to follow. (See - Jat clans as described by Megasthenes)

Machhar - Matsya:The identifications of Matsya with Machhar clan finds support in Mahabharata which mentions Machella, the great Charioteer king, named Virata, showing thereby that these people were located closely, near the Jaipur/ Mathura / Alwar region ^[2] The Machella and Machhar have only the difference of suffix ‘al’ or ‘ ar’ A place called Machhari in Alwar-Jaipur area is supposed to be their traditional city. ^[3]

They have been mentioned in Mahabharata Bhisma Parva. Mahabharata mention them and locates them in the west. ^[4] Kanishka had a minister called Mathara. ^[5] Their name was Sanskritised as Matsya (fish-Machha in Prakrit means fish) Machhari near Alwar, was named after them. ^[6] They are the Machiya of Darius. Markandeya Purana Mentions them as Mathara. ^{[7] [3]}

References

1. ↑ Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudee, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998, p. 274
2. ↑ Sabha parva, 31 / 13
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Bhim Singh Dahiya, Jats the Ancient Rulers ( A clan study), 1980, Sterling Publishers New Delhi , p. 287
4. ↑ MBT, Sabha , XXXI, 1195, Vana Parva, LI, 1991, Santi Parva, LXI, 2430
5. ↑ The Age of Imperial Unity, p. 147
6. ↑ ASI, Vol. VI, p. 84 ff.
7. ↑ 128-LVII, 37

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