Kikata

Kikata
Kīkaṭa
Common languagesVedic Sanskrit
Religion
Vedic Dharma
GovernmentMonarchy
Historical erac. 1700–1300 BCE
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Copper Hoard culture
Magadha
Today part ofIndia

The Kīkaṭa kingdom, mentioned in the Vedas, is an ancient Indian kingdom whose precise geographical location remains a subject of scholarly debate. While some scholars associate it with the Magadha region in present-day Bihar, because Kikata is used as synonym for Magadha in the later texts; while others suggest a more western location, possibly in the vicinity of Kurukshetra (see below).

The Rigveda references the Kīkaṭas as a non-Vedic people, potentially of non-Aryan origin, living on the eastern side to Vedic India, who did not practice Vedas. Scholars like Zimmer have argued in referring to Yaksha, that they were a non-Aryan people. According to Weber, they were a descendants of Pre-Vedic Aryan people and native Indian people, but were sometimes in conflict with other Vedic people.