Alwar

The ancient name of Alwar is Salva or Salwa. Alwar was a part of the Matsya Kingdom, one of the 16 ancient Mahājanapadas. In late Vedic texts (such as the Jaiminiya Brahmana), the Salva or Salvi tribe is described as a non-Vedic tribe that occupied Kurukshetra and conquered the Kuru kingdom. The Matsya kingdom is generally identified with parts of present-day Rajasthan, including the Alwar region, and its historical geography is associated with the wider cultural and political landscape of northwestern India during the Vedic period. The Salvas settled along the Yamuna river and the Alwar province of Rajasthan after attacking the Kuru kingdom, and they later accepted Vedic culture by the end of the Vedic era as they converged with the remaining Kurus and the Surasena mahajanapada, near Matsya kingdom. Alwar was ruled by multiple dynasties. Notable dynasties included the Karaulika yadav Nikumbh Rajputs, the Khanzada Rajputs, the Badgujar Rajputs, Gaur rajputs and the Rai Sahab of Rewari who took the control over this area. The Maratha Empire also ruled this region for a short period.