Kishkindha

Literature

Ramayana

The Ramayana has a book that is based in Kishkindha, known as the Kishkindha Kanda. In this text, a banished Sugriva sends his trusted counsellor, Hanuman, to meet the mysterious Rama and Lakshmana. Satisfied with their noble demeanour, he brings them to Sugriva. The two parties exchange their tales, after which Rama forges an alliance with the former vanara monarch: Sugriva, in turn, shows the cloak and jewels of Sita that had descended from the sky upon his kingdom during her abduction by Ravana. After Sugriva regales the tales of his brother's exploits, he goes to challenge his brother for a duel, having sought Rama's assistance in the fight. When Rama does not loose his arrow, Sugriva flees towards the Rishyamuka hill, where his brother dared not venture. Rama explains that he did not intercede since he could not distinguish between the two, upon which a wreath of flowers was placed around the vanara's neck. The entourage then visit the hermitage of Saptajanas:

Wild and ferocious elephants adorned with ivory tusks, who proved a menace to the lakes by causing the banks to crumble, wandered about here and there and intoxicated with Mada juice, striking their foreheads against the rocks, resembled moving mountains. Monkeys as large as elephants, covered with dust and every species of wild beast and bird were seen by the followers of Sugriva as they passed on their way.|author=Valmiki|title=Ramayana|source=Kishkindha Kanda, Chapter 13}} Ignoring his wife Tara's pleas to make peace with Rama, Bali sets out to duel his brother once more, and is slain by Rama's arrow to his breast. Vali and Rama engage in a conversation about the morality of Rama's actions, to which Rama retorts that the vanara had conducted himself in a heinous manner by forcefully bedding Ruma, Sugriva's wife. Even as Tara laments, Sugriva is installed as king once more. However, four months later, he fails to honour his pledge to support Rama's rescue, lost in his blissful dalliance with Tara. A furious Lakshmana, first mollified by Tara, reproaches Sugriva for his conduct, after which he reconciles with him. Sugriva assembles his vanara forces and commands them to venture into the following regions:

The vanara army then venture out of Kishkindha to scour these regions for Sita.

Mahabharata

Sahadeva's conflict with the kings of Kishkindha is mentioned in the Mahabharata:

Garuda Purana

Brahma mentions Kishkindha while narrating the Ramayanam:

In popular culture

• This kingdom is often identified to be the region around the Tungabhadra river (then known as Pampa Sarovara) near Hampi in present-day Vijayanagara district, Karnataka. The mountain near the river known as Rishimukha, where Sugriva lived with Hanuman during his exile, bears the same name.

• The Anjaneyadri Hill is held by the locals to the birthplace of Hanuman.
• 2024 Malayalam Movie Kishkindha Kaandam have similar reference.

References

• Kishkinda: Literature and Archaeology
• Complete Ramacharitamanas text

References

1. Kishore, B. R.. (2007). "Ramayana". Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd..
2. Dharma, Krishna. (2020-08-18). "Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time". Simon and Schuster.
3. Vālmīki. (1962). "Aranya Kanda". Shanti Sadan.
4. Vālmīki. (1952). "The Ramayana of Valmiki: Aranya kanda. Kishkindha kanda. Sundara kanda". Shanti Sadan.
5. Vālmīki. (1962). "Aranya Kanda". Shanti Sadan.
6. www.wisdomlib.org. (2020-09-26). "Sugriva sends out other Monkeys to explore the Southern Region [Chapter 41]".
7. www.wisdomlib.org. (2015-01-09). "Lord Krishna Benedicts the Imprisoned Kings [Chapter 5]".
8. www.wisdomlib.org. (2015-04-15). "The Ramayana [Chapter CXLIII]".
9. Pushkar Bhatnagar. (2004). "Dating The Era of Lord Ram". Rupa Publications.