Kirata

The Kirata (Sanskrit: किराट) is a generic term in Sanskrit literature for people who lived in the mountains, particularly in the Himalayas and North-East India and who were Mongoloid in origin. They are mentioned along with Cinas (Chinese), and were different from the Nishadas. [Harvcol|Chatterji|1974|p=26] They are first mentioned in the Yajurveda ("Shukla" XXX.16; "Krisha" III.4,12,1), and in the Atharvaveda (X.4,14) . In Manu's Dharmashastra (X.44) they are mentioned as degraded Kshatriyas, which meant that they were considered to be of advanced civilization, [Harvcol|Chatterji|1974|p=28] but outside the ambit of Brahminical influence. It is speculated that the term is a Sanskritization of a Sino-Tibetan tribal name, like that of Kirant or Kiranti of eastern Nepal. [Harvcol|Chatterji|1974|p=28]

Mythology gives an indication of their geographical position. In the Mahabharata, Bhima meets the Kiratas to the east of Videha, where his son Ghatotkacha is born; and in general the dwellers of the Himalayas, especially the eastern Himalayas, were called Kiratas. [Harvcol|Chatterji|1974|p=30] In general they are mentioned as "gold-like", or yellow, unlike the Nishadas or the Dasas, who were dark. [Harvcol|Chatterji|1974|p=31]

In Yoga Vasistha 1.15.5 Rama speaks of "kirAteneva vAgurA", "a trap [laid] by Kiratas", so about BCE Xth Century, they were thought of as jungle trappers, the ones who dug pits to capture roving deer. The same text also speaks of King Suraghu, the head of the Kiratas who is a friend of the Persian King, Parigha.

Notes

References

*cite book
last = Chatterji
first = S. K.
title = Kirata-Jana-Krti
publisher =The Asiatic Society
date =1974
location =Calcutta
isbn =