A forest kingdom that existed in the southern part of ancient India. Both the Ramayana and Mahabharata have mentions of it. During the time of the Ramayana, it was ruled by a famous vanara king Riksharajas. He was childless. Earlier Indra and Surya had produced sons from Arunidevi – Bali and Sugriva respectively. (see Aruna) They grew up in Gautama’s hermitage. After they grew up, Indra gave both of them to Riksharajas. After the king’s death, Bali became the king of Kishkinda, and Sugriva served him.

During that time, there was an asura named Dundubhi, who once challenged Varuna for a duel. Varuna sent him to Himavan and the asura wreaked havoc with the peaks. Himavan approached him, told him that he was a peaceful being, and if he wanted a fight, he should seek Bali. Dundubhi reached Kishkinda and challenged Bali. Bali killed him and threw the body away. Matanga was meanwhile meditating on Rishyamuka mountain nearby. Blood drops from Dundubhi’s nostril fell on Matanga, who used his divine sight to realise who was responsible. He cursed that Bali would die if he entered Rishyamukachala.

Dundubhi had a son named Mayavi, who swore to avenge his father. He lost a fight with Bali and ran away. Bali followed him, along with Sugriva. Mayavi ran into a cave, followed by Bali. Sugriva waited outside but no one came out even after a year. He then saw a lot of blood flowing out of the cave and the sound of an asura laughing. Sugriva assumed that Bali had been killed and after closing the cave, returned to Kishkinda, dejected. On his subjects’ insistence, he became their king.

After some time, Bali kicked open the cave and emerged, raging. He reached Kishkinda and accused Sugriva of deliberately plotting to become king. He drove Sugriva away and even forcefully took his wife. Sugriva moved to Rishyamuka and established his own kingdom. Mainda, Dvivida, Hanuman, Jambavan became Sugriva’s ministers. This was when Rama and Lakshmana reached there. As per the pact between Rama and Sugriva, Rama killed Bali and crowned Sugriva king of Kishkinda as per Ramayana Kishkindaparva Chapter 280.

Sahadeva battled the vanaras at Kishkinda for seven days, after which they gave him jewels and requested him to return as per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 31. Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan etc were not present in Kishkinda then. Sugriva might have died. After Rama’s death, hanuman chose to meditate in the Gandhamadana mountains in Kimpurushavarsha, as per Mahabharata and Bhagavata Dashamaskanda. Jambavan left Kishkinda and stayed in a cave with his kith and kin, as per the story of Prasena. Mainda and Dvivida were ruling Kishkinda at the time of Sahadeva’s arrival. By then, the strength of the vanaras had declined and gradually the kingdom faded away.