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{{short description|kingdom in ancient India}}
{{Multiple issues|{{more citations needed|date=September 2015}}
{{cleanup rewrite|reason= poorly written article|date=March 2016}}}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name =
| conventional_long_name = Kikata Kingdom
| common_name = Kikata Kingdom
| era = 2200–1700 BCE
| government_type = [[Monarchy]]
| p1 =
| flag_p1 =
| s1 =
| flag_s1 =
| image_coat =
| image_map = Early Vedic Culture (1700-1100 BCE).png
| image_map_caption =
| image_map2 =
| image_map2_caption =
| capital =
| common_languages =
| religion =
[[Āstika and nāstika|Nastika, Non-Vedic]]
| currency =
| leader1 =
| today = [[India]]
| demonym =
| area_km2 =
| area_rank =
| GDP_PPP =
| GDP_PPP_year =
| HDI =
| HDI_year =
}}
'''Kīkaṭa''' was an ancient kingdom in what is now India, mentioned in the [[Vedas]].

A section in the [[Rigveda]] (RV 3.53.14) refers to the Kīkaṭas, with its ruler Pramangada. Some scholars have placed them in [[Bihar]] ([[Magadha]]) because Kikata is used as synonym for Magadha in the later texts;<ref>e.g. McDonell and Keith 1912, Vedic Index; Rahurkar, V.G. 1964. The Seers of the Rgveda. University of Poona. Poona; Talageri, Shrikant. (2000) [[The Rigveda: A Historical Analysis]]</ref> while other scholars dispute this and point to evidence for a more western location, in the area approximately south of [[Kurukshetra]] (see [[#Location|below]]). Like the Magadhas in the [[Atharvaveda]], the Rigveda speaks of the Kikatas as a hostile tribe, living on the borders of Vedic India, who did not perform Vedic rituals.<ref name="Witzel1995">M. Witzel. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=OZ0gAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA333 Rigvedic history: poets, chieftains, and polities]," in ''The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: Language, Material Culture and Ethnicity.'' ed. G. Erdosy (Walter de Gruyer, 1995), p. 333</ref>

Zimmer has argued, in referring to [[Yaska]], that they were a non-Aryan people. According to Weber, they were a Vedic people, but were sometimes in conflict with other Vedic people.<ref>[[R. C. Majumdar]] and [[A. D. Pusalker]] (editors): ''[[The History and Culture of the Indian People]]''. Volume I, The Vedic age. Bombay : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan 1951, p. 252</ref>

== Location ==
Placement of Kikata in Magadha is challenged by some scholars such as the historical geographers Mithila Sharan Pandey (who argues they must have been near [[Western Uttar Pradesh]]),<ref>Mithila Sharan Pandey, [https://books.google.com/books?id=F80BAAAAMAAJ ''The Historical Geography and Topography of Bihar''] (Motilal Barnarsidass, 1963), p.101</ref> and O.P. Bharadwaj (who places them near the [[Sarasvati River]]),<ref>O.P. Bharadwaj [https://books.google.com/books?id=_5MtAAAAMAAJ ''Studies in the Historical Geography of Ancient India''] (Sundeep Prakashan, 1986), p.210</ref> historian [[Ram Sharan Sharma]], who believes they were probably in Haryana,<ref>R.S. Sharma, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ll3vDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA12 ''Sudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order Down to Circa A.D. 600''] (Motilal Banarsidass, 1990), p.12</ref> and [[Michael Witzel]] who places them south of Kurukshetra, in Eastern Rajasthan or western Madhya Pradesh, and his assertion that the Magadha is beyond the geographical horizon of Rigveda.<ref name="Witzel1995" />

== References in other texts ==
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2013}}
The names, Kitava and Kitika, closely resemble Kikata, and were found in the [[Mahabharata]].

The Ajas, the Prishnis, the Sikatas, the Arunas, and the Kitavas, have all gone to heaven through the merit of [[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic]] study (12:26).

The Abhishahas, the [[Surasena Kingdom|Surasenas]], the [[Sivi Kingdom|Sivis]], and the Vasatis, the [[Salwa Kingdom|Swalyas]], the [[Matsya Kingdom|Matsyas]], the Amvashtas, the [[Trigarta Kingdom|Trigartas]], and the [[Kekaya Kingdom|Kekayas]], the [[Sauvira Kingdom|Sauviras]], the Kitavas, and the dwellers of the Eastern, Western, and the Northern countries,--these twelve brave races were resolved to fight reckless of the lives for [[Bhishma]](6:18). The Sauviras, the Kitavas, the Easterners, the Westerners, the Northerners, the Malavas, the Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, and the Vasatis were mentioned as taking part in [[Kurukshetra War]] siding with the [[Kauravas]] (6:107). The Sauviras, the Kitavas, the Easterners, the Westerners, the Northerners, the Malavas, the Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, the Vasatis, the Salwas, the Sayas, the Trigartas, the Amvashthas, and the Kaikeyas were again mentioned on the [[Kaurava]] side at (6:120).

The tribes Vairamas, Paradas, Tungas, with the Kitavas who lived upon crops that depended on water from the sky or of the river and also they who were born in regions on the sea-shore, in woodlands, or countries on the other side of the ocean waited at the gate, being refused permission to enter, with goats and kine and asses and camels and vegetable, honey and blankets and jewels and gems of various kinds. -- bringing tribute to [[Pandava]] king [[Yudhishthira]] (2:50).

Madraka, and Karnaveshta, Siddhartha, and also Kitaka; Suvira, and Suvahu, and Mahavira, and also Valhika, Kratha, Vichitra, Suratha, and the handsome king Nila were mentioned as kings at (1:67).

Kikata (कीकट) is mentioned in [[Mahabharata]] (VIII.30.45).<ref>कारः करान महिषकान कलिङ्गान कीकटाटवीन, कर्कॊटकान वीरकांश च दुर्धर्मांश च विवर्जयेत [[Mahabharata]] (VIII.30.45)</ref>...."The [[Karasakara]]s, the [[Mahishaka]]s, the [[Kalinga (Mahabharata)|Kalinga]]s, the [[Kikata]]s, the [[Atavi]]s, the [[Karkotaka]]s, the [[Viraka]]s, and other peoples of no religion, one should always avoid."

Like Rigveda attributes of Kikatas, Atharvaveda also speaks about south eastern tribes like Magadhas and Angas as hostile tribe who lived on the borders of Brahmanical India.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g6inYJea_ggC&q=kikata&pg=PA350|title=Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, Their Religion and Institutions: Inquiry whether the Hindus are of Trans-Himalayan origin, and akin to the western branches of the Indo-European race. 2d ed., rev. 1871|date=1871|publisher=Trübner|language=en}}</ref> [[Bhagavata Purana|Bhagvata Purana]] mentions about the birth of [[Buddha]] among Kikatas.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g6inYJea_ggC&q=kikata&pg=PA350|title=Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, Their Religion and Institutions: Inquiry whether the Hindus are of Trans-Himalayan origin, and akin to the western branches of the Indo-European race. 2d ed., rev. 1871|date=1871|publisher=Trübner|language=en}}</ref> According to [[Puranas|Puranic literature]] Kikata is placed near [[Gaya, India|Gaya]]. It is described as extending from Caran-adri to Gridharakuta ([[Vulture Peak|vulture peak]]), [[Rajgir]].

==List of Rulers==
''Known Notable Rulers were-''

*King Kitaka
*Pramangada
*Suvira
*Suvahu
*Mahavira
*Valhika
*Kratha
*Vichitra
*Suratha
*Nila
*Madraka
*Karnaveshta
*Siddhartha

== See also ==
* [[Janapada]]
*[[Kingdoms of Ancient India]]
*[[RigVeda]]
*[[Mahabharata]] of [[Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa]]
*[[Vedic Religion]]

== References ==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Tribes and kingdoms of the Mahabharata}}

[[Category:Kingdoms in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:History of Bihar]]
[[Category:Kingdoms of Bihar]]

Kikata Kingdom - Revision history

imported>Dev0745 at 14:54, 14 July 2021