Kekayas or Kaikeyas were an ancient people attested to have been living in north-western Punjab—between Gandhara and the Beas river since remote antiquity. They were the descendants of the Kshatriyas of the Kekaya Janapada hence called Kekayas or Kaikeyas. The Kekayas were often associated with the Madras, the Usinaras, and the Sibis, and their territory had formed a part of the Vahika country, according to the evidence furnished by Pāṇini. The Kingdom of Kekaya was founded by Kekaya who was the son of Shibi in Treta Yuga whose descendant was Kaikeyi.
The Rigvedic Kekayas dwelt on the banks of river Parusni. The king of Kekayas at the time of Janaka of Videha was Ashvapati i.e. lord of horses. Satapatha Brahmana and Chandogiya Upanishada suggest that Kekaya king Ashvapati had instructed a number of Brahmanas viz. Arjuna Aupavesi, Gautama, Satyajna Paulushi, Mahasala Jabala, Budila Asvatarashvi, Indradyumna Bhallaveya, Jana Sarkarakshya, Prachinshala, Aupamanyava and Uddaalaka Aruni.
There are several references to Kaikeyi in the epic Ramayana. Kaikeyi, one of the three queens of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya was a Kekaya princess, daughter of Ashwapati. Ramayana testifies that the capital of Kekayas lay beyond river Sudama. River Sudama has been identified with river Saranges of Arrian which flowed also flowed through Kekians. The Vedic texts do not mention name of the capital of Kekaya but Ramayana does inform us that the Kekaya metropolis was Rajagriha or Girivraja. which A. Cunningham has identified with Girjak or Jalalpur on river Jhelum in the Jhelum district but this view has not been accepted by scholars. Ramayana further attests that Kekaya lay beyond Vipasa or Beas and abutted with the country of Gandharava or Gandhara vishaya. https://english.newstracklive.com/news/unknown-interesting-hidden-mythological-facts-ramayana-interesting-facts-about-ravan-sc93-nu612-ta612-ta294-1085188-1. Ravana,the son of Vishrava and Kaikesi was Ravana and he was born in Devagana. He was the grandson of Pulastya. Vishrava was a great sage and his princess was Kaikesi.
Vishnu-Dharmottara Mahapurana
According to Vishnu-Dharmottara Mahapurana also, the capital of the Kekayas lay beyond river Sudama which flowed some distance westwards from the Vitasta or Jhelum river. Prince Bharata, son of princess Kekayi, while going to Kekaya country from Ayodhya had to cross river Vitasta and then after crossing river Sudama, he reached the land of the Kekayas.
The Kekayas are said to have fought on both sides in the Kurukshetra war. The five Kekaya princes, led by their elder brother Vrihatkshatra, had joined the Pandava army while other Kekaya brothers opposed Vrihatkshatra had sided with the Kauravas. The other numerous kingdoms of ancient India viz. Dwaraka, Kasi, Magadha, Matsya, Mahishmati, Chedi, Pandya and the Yadus of Mathura were allies of Pandavas while the allies of the Kauravas were nations of Pragjyotisha, Anga, Kekaya, Sindhudesa, Avanti in Madhyadesa, Madras, Gandhara, Bahlika, Kamboja and many others had sided with Kauravas. Karna Parava refers to the Kekayas, the Malavas, the Madrakas, the Dravidas of fierce prowess, the Yaudheyas, the Lalittyas, the Kshudrakas, the Tundikeras, the Savitriputras, who had supported Karna on 17th day of the war, as all having been slain by Arjuna. Mahabharata associates the Kekaya peoples with the Madras. Madra-Kekayah
There are several references to the Kekayas in the Bhagavatam Purana.
Kekayas visit Samantapancaka
attests that the prince of Kekaya along with princes from Matsya, Kosala, Vidharbha, Kuru, Srnjaya, Kamboja, Usinara, Madra, Kunti, Anarta, Kerala was present at Samanta-pancaka in Kurukshetra at the occasion of the solar eclipse. .
Bhagavata Purana also testifies that the Kekayas and other nation like those of the Yadus, Srnjayas, Kurus and Kambojas had participated in the Rajasuya sacrifice of Yudhishtra. "The massed armies of the Yadus, Srnjayas, Kambojas, Kurus, Kekayas and Kosalas made the earth tremble as they followed Yudhishira Maharaja, the performer of the Rajasuya sacrifice, in procession" .
Kekayas fight Yadavas
The Kekayas, Madras and Kambojas from north are stated to have sided with king Jarasandha of Magadha and had participated in a war against Krishna and his Yadava army .
Other references in Bhagavata Purana
Kekays had participated in the marriage ceremony of Rukmini, queen consort of Krishna, the daughter of Bhishmaka, the king of Vidarbha. One of the wives of Krishna was a Kekaya princess. When Krishna was going to Mithila, the Kekays had met him with presents.
Traditional origin of Kekayas
Bhagavata Purana further states that the Usinaras, the Sibi, the Madras, and the Kekayas were the direct descendants of Yayati's son Anu. Sibi or Sivi is stated to be son of Usinara The same tradition is also furnished by other Puranic texts like Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana as well. The Anavas, derived from Anu, were a tribe of the Rigvedic period and are said to belong to the Iranians.
Pāṇini refers to the Kaikeyas or Kekayas in his Ashtadhyayi and mentions their land as a part of the Vahika country. The other three countries which formed parts of the Vahika land were the Madra, the Usinara and the Savasa lands.
Jaina accounts
The Jaina texts say that one half of the Kekaya was Aryan and refer to the Kekaya city called Seyaviya.
Kekayas in Kavyamimamsa of Rajashekhara
The 10th century CEKavyamimamsa of Pandit Rajashekhara 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.
Migration of the Kekayas
A branch of the Kekaya seems to have migrated to southern India in later times and established its authority in Mysore country.
