India As Described In Early Texts Of Buddhism and Jainism

Author(s): Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Bimlacharan Law

Page 97

KINGS AND PEOPLES
89
Uttaramadda side by side with that of Uttarakuru is proved also by the Pali commentaries that tell us that the queen of a king overlord is a princess either from Uttarakuru or from the royal house of Madda.Thus we are led to think that, like the Kurus, the Maddas were originally a trans-Himalayan people. As in their original home, so when they migrated to India, they settled down in the Punjab as neighbours of the Kurus. Even their Indian territory which is strictly speaking the southern Madda was equally noted for the beauty of their women (Maddaraţtham nāma itthāgāro). We have mention in the Játakas and in the Epics of matrimonial alliances between the royal house of Madda on one side and those of Sivi, Kuru, Kāšī, Kosala and Kalinga 8 on the other, in each instance, the princess belonging to the former. The Maddas lived under a monarchical form of government and their capital Sāgala was an emporium of trade and one of the most flourishing cities.
The Kekayas, Kekakas or Kekas find mention in the Jātakas as one of the ancient peoples of
1 Papañcasūdani, ii, p. 950; Sumangalavilāsini, ii, p. 628; Paramatthajorika, I, p. 173.
2 Theragatha-afghakatha, ii, p. 142; Therigatha-aithakathā, p. 68.
& Law, Geography, p. 54. According to the Mahabharata, the mother of Janamejaya, king of Kuru, and according to the Ramāyāna, one of the three queens of kmg Dasaratha of Kolalar were princesses from the Royal House of Madra.
4 Milindapanha, pp. 1-2.