For the kingdom in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, see Kekeya Kingdom.
Kekaya (Sanskrit: Kekaya) was an ancient Indo-Aryantribe of north-western South Asia whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The members of the Kekaya tribe were called the Kaikayas.
Location of the Anu tribe from which the Kekayas were descended among the Vedic tribes
Location of the Kekayas during the late Vedic period
Location of the Kekayas during the post-Vedic period
The Kekayas were located between the Gāndhāra kingdom and the Vipāśā river, more precisely on a tributary of the Irāvatī river named the Saranges by ancient Greek authors.[1]
The capital of Kekaya was a city named Rājagṛha or Girivraja, identified with the modern-day Girjak or Jalalpur in the Pakistani Punjab.[1]
History
The Kekeyas, as well as the neighbouring Madraka and Uśīnara tribes, were descended from the Ṛgvedic Anu tribe which lived near the Paruṣṇī river in the central Punjab region, in the same area where the Kekayas were later located.[1]
During the 6th century BCE, the Kekayas, along with the Madras, Uśīnaras, and Sibis, fell under the suzerainty of the Gāndhāra kingdom, which was the principal imperial power in north-west Iron Age South Asia.[2]
Later history
The 10th century CE Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara furnishes a list of the extant tribes of his times which also includes the Kekayas along with the Shakas, Tusharas, Vokanas, Hunas, Kambojas, Vahlikas, Vahlavas, Limpakas, Tangana, Turukshas, referring to them all as the tribes of Uttarapatha or north division.[3]
A branch of the Kekaya seems to have migrated to southern India in later times and established its authority in Mysore country.[4]
The Kekayas appear in epic Hindu literature, especially in the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata. In the former, the step-mother of the god Rāma and mother of the prince Bharata is the eponymous princess of Kekaya, Kaikeyī.
kekaya, kingdom, ramayana, mahabharata, kekeya, kingdom, sanskrit, ancient, indo, aryan, tribe, north, western, south, asia, whose, existence, attested, during, iron, members, tribe, were, called, kaikayas, location, tribe, from, which, were, descended, among,. For the kingdom in the Ramayana and Mahabharata see Kekeya Kingdom Kekaya Sanskrit Kekaya was an ancient Indo Aryan tribe of north western South Asia whose existence is attested during the Iron Age The members of the Kekaya tribe were called the Kaikayas Location of the Anu tribe from which the Kekayas were descended among the Vedic tribesLocation of the Kekayas during the late Vedic periodLocation of the Kekayas during the post Vedic period Contents 1 Location 2 History 2 1 Later history 3 In epic literature 4 References 5 Further readingLocation EditThe Kekayas were located between the Gandhara kingdom and the Vipasa river more precisely on a tributary of the Iravati river named the Saranges by ancient Greek authors 1 The capital of Kekaya was a city named Rajagṛha or Girivraja identified with the modern day Girjak or Jalalpur in the Pakistani Punjab 1 History EditThe Kekeyas as well as the neighbouring Madraka and Usinara tribes were descended from the Ṛgvedic Anu tribe which lived near the Paruṣṇi river in the central Punjab region in the same area where the Kekayas were later located 1 A famous king of Kekaya during the late Vedic period was Asvapati who is mentioned in the Satapatha Brahmaṇa and the Chandogya Upaniṣad as a patron of brahmaṇa s and was an elder contemporary of the Vaideha king Janaka 1 During the 6th century BCE the Kekayas along with the Madras Usinaras and Sibis fell under the suzerainty of the Gandhara kingdom which was the principal imperial power in north west Iron Age South Asia 2 Later history Edit The 10th century CE Kavyamimaṃsa of Rajasekhara furnishes a list of the extant tribes of his times which also includes the Kekayas along with the Shakas Tusharas Vokanas Hunas Kambojas Vahlikas Vahlavas Limpakas Tangana Turukshas referring to them all as the tribes of Uttarapatha or north division 3 A branch of the Kekaya seems to have migrated to southern India in later times and established its authority in Mysore country 4 In epic literature EditMain article Kekeya Kingdom The Kekayas appear in epic Hindu literature especially in the Ramayaṇa and the Mahabharata In the former the step mother of the god Rama and mother of the prince Bharata is the eponymous princess of Kekaya Kaikeyi References Edit a b c d Raychaudhuri 1953 p 62 63 Prakash Buddha 1951 Poros Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 32 1 198 233 Retrieved 12 June 2022 KSee avyamimamsa Ed Gaekwad s Oriental Series I 1916 Ch 17 Introduction xxvi Rajashekhara is dated c 880 AD 920 AD Ancient History of Deccan pp 88 101 Political History of Ancient India 1996 p 58 Dr H C Raychaudhury Further reading EditGeographical Data in Ancient Puranas 1972 Dr M R Singh Raychaudhuri Hemchandra 1953 Political History of Ancient India From the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of Gupta Dynasty University of Calcutta India as Known to Panini Dr V S Aggarwala Ancient Geography of India A Cunningham Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kekaya amp oldid 1110229560, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
