________________
14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
due cource established the Matsya Kingdom and founded the royal dynasty called Matsya Dynasti. Their location could be on the banks of river Sindhu.
An interesting fact is that fishing was the main occupation of the people who lived near river Saraswati. After the Saraswati River dried up, they migrated to river Charmanwati now known as Chambal meaning fish in Dravidian languages. Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, was son of Satyavati who belogned to this fishermen community later became Veda Vyasa who compiled and edited the Vedas and the Puranas.
There were six other Matsya Kingdoms The Pandya Kingdom in the extreme south, also bears the icon of a fish on its official banner showing some connection with the Matsya kings. The main Matsyas under Virata had its capital named Viratanagari which is now known as Bairat in Jaipur district of Rajasthan.
Swayam Pradhana temples with matsyavatara are very rare. The one that we know of is in Nagalapuram This temple contains few rare Stone images such as Vinahara Dakshinamurthi, Hayagriva Bhuvarala and Trivikrama and was built by Krishna Raya of Vijayanagara Kingdom. From historical records we know that this area was one of the major Christian centers renowned all over the world. Gandhara Kasmira
China
Kekaya
Orisadyat
Kamboja
3 "Chadra- Kimpurusha bhaga
Deva Bahlika Kinrara Gandharva
Iravati Satadru Asura Madra
Pulinda
Kailasa Trigarta
Raksha Yaksha
Him alaya Amvastha Sindhu
Sivi Kamyaka kuru kuru Panchala Nepa Sindhu
(W) (E) (N) Yamuna Ganga
Gan I'Saraswati Abhira Matsya
Sarayu
are Panchala Sudra Lavanavati
Nishadha Nishada
Vatsa Kasi Gurjara
Chedi Kunti
Dasarna Arbuda Malava
Karusha Charmanvati).
Riksh
Dwaita Salway
Sauvira
sena
(S) Naimishe Kosala
Madhu (S) Nair
Paripatra
Suktimati
700 BCE-1200 CE.
320
