Meena

The Meena caste - whose name is also transliterated as Meenoāt, Meenanda or Mina - is found mainly in the Rajasthan region of India. Their name is derived from Meen, the Sanskrit word for fish, and they claim descent from the Matsya avatar, or fish incarnation, of Vishnu.

Scholars have disagreed as to whether the Meenas are an indigenous tribe, or whether they migrated to the region from Central Asia. According to Britannica, "the Minas are possibly of inner Asiatic origin, and tradition suggests that they migrated to India in the 7th century with the Rajputs". They once ruled the Matsya Kingdom but their social significance diminished thereafter. This change began with their assimilation with Scythian people and reached a low point when the British government declared them to be a criminal tribe. This action was taken to support their alliance with Rajput kingdom then in Rajasthan, and Meenas were still in war with Rajputs, carrying out guerrilla attacks to retain their lost kingdoms.

Meenas celebrate Meenesh Jayanti in the name of Vishnu on 3 Tithi of Chaitra Shukal paksha according to the Hindu calendar. The main reference of this belief is based on the scripture of the Matsya Purana.