One of the snakes born to Kashyapa and Kadru. His famous brothers were Shesha, Vasuki, Airavata, Thakshaka, Karkodaka, Maninaga, Purananaga. All the snakes in the world have originated from Kaliya and his brothers as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 35. The Bhagavata Dashamaskanda states that Kaliya had a thousand heads.

Vinata was another wife of Kashyapa. To her was born Garuda. Once Vinata lost a bet to Kadru and became her slave. Garuda bought the amrit from devaloka and freed her, but his enmity with the snakes went on. Garuda started killing them whenever he got a chance. The snakes agreed to give the offerings they made in the yajnas on special days to Garuda. Garuda was pleased, but Kaliya was against this. He mocked Garuda and they began fighting. Kaliya and his family were rattled by the flapping of Garuda’s wings and escaped to the Kalindi river.

Once a sage named Saubhari meditated on the banks of the Kalindi. Once Garuda went there, caught fish and ended up splashing water on the sage. The sage cursed that if he ever set foot there again, his head would burst.

Kaliya’s venom caused the vegetation around to wither and die, and the water of the river to become undrinkable. Once krishna came there with his friends. His friends and the cows were struck dead by Kaliya’s venom. Krishna climbed a tree and from there jumped into the lake. Kaliya tried to strike him but he jumped on to the snake’s head and started dancing. The snake began vomiting blood and bowed to Krishna. His family also began praying to Krishna. he sent them all to Ramanakadweepa and assured Kaliya that when Garuda saw Krishna’s footprint on the snake’s head, he would not hurt them, as per Bhagavata Dashamaskanda.

A sage. He was once copulating with his wife. The couple had taken on the form of deers. Pandu had come there for a hunt and he sent an arrow to kill the male deer. The arrow struck its mark and the sage transformed into his normal self. He cursed Pandu and said that if the king ever attempted intercourse with his wife, he would die. After many years, Pandu, in a moment of passion, forgot about this curse, and embraced his wife Madri. He dies immediately as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 117.

A holy well. Throwing sesame seeds into this frees a man from three of his debts – Rishyarna, Devarna, Pitrna which are usually paid through brahmacharya, yajnas and garhasthya respectively as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 83.

A holy place in Kurukshetra. Bathing here makes a person successful as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 83.

A holy place. People visiting this place from beyond 100 yojanas can wash away their foeticide sins by bathing here as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 25 verse 60 and Shantiparva Chapter 152 verse 12.

Vyasa was born to Parashara and Satyavati on Kalindidweepa as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 60.

Another name for Yamuna. One of the oldest and most important rivers in India. The goddess associated with this river is Kalindidevi. She is the daughter of Surya and the river has its origins in the Kalindi  mountains. Kalindi meets the Ganga in Prayag. This sangam is a holy place.

Immediately after Krishna’s birth, Vasudeva secretly carried him to Ambadi. The Kalindi was in spate then, and Vasudeva requested it to part and let him through. The river complied as per Bhagavata Dashamaskanda.

Once Balarama stayed away from Mathura, in Ambadi for two months. During that time, he once visited the Kalindi with his friends. He was drunk and wanted to frolic with women in the river. KHe beckoned the river but it refused to go near him. Balarama was furious and dragged the river with his plough. She begged for mercy and he calmed himself as per Bhagavata Dashamaskanda.

After Maya built Indraprastha, he stayed awhile with the Pandavas and Krishna. During that time, Krishna and Arjuna went to the Kalindi. There, Arjuna saw a beautiful woman meditating, and approached her. She said she was Kalindi and was meditating to get Krishna as her husband. Arjuna informed Krishna, who took her to Dwaraka and married her. They had ten sons including Shruta as per Bhagavata Dashamaskanda.

Once Krishna attacked Jarasandha. Jarasandha had a minister named Hamsa, whose child committed suicide by jumping into the Kalindi, after it heard a rumour that Hamsa had been killed. Hamsa hadn’t died and he came to know about his son’s death after he returned from the battle. On hearing the news, he too jumped into the Kalindi and died as per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 14.

Kalindi is one of the seven tributaries of the Ganga and bathing in it rids one of sins as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 139 verse 19.

The Pandavas crossed the river during their exile as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 5 verse 2.

Srinjaya’s son Sahadeva gave Agni 1000 gold coins on the banks of the Kalindi as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 90 verse 7.

Bharata conducted 33 ashwamedhas on the banks of the Kalindi as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 90 verse 8, then six more later as per Mahabharata Dronaparva Chapter 68, and 300 more as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 29.

Ambarish, son of Nabhaga, conducted a yajna on the banks of the Kalindi as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 129.

Agastya meditated on the banks of this river as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 161.

Shantanu conducted 7 yajnas on the banks of the Kalindi as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 162.

The Kalindi is black in colour. After Sati’s death, Kama shot an arrow at Shiva, who was in mourning. Shiva experienced a sense of ecstasy, and jumped into the Kalindi river, turning it black as per Yamunapurana Chapter 6.

A famous Sanskrit poet. There is no clear proof of when he lived and estimates range from 8th century BC to the 11th century AD, though most believe it to be between 1st century BC and 5th century AD.

As per the expert Hippolyte Fanche, Kalidasa lived in the 8th century BC since he describes the son of Agnivarna, one of the last Raghuvanshi kings.

Another expert Dr. Kunjanraja believes Kalidasa to have lived in 2nd century BC because Kalidasa was a contemporary of Agnimitra, a king belonging to the Sugarajavansh and who appears in Malavikasgnimitra.

It is believed by many that Kalidasa was part of Vikramaditya’s court around 56 BC.

Dr Kaith believes that Kalidasa lived around the 5th century AD. In 395 AD, a king named Chandragupta 2 defeated the Shakas and conquered Ujjain. He was also known as Vikramaditya and it is suggested that Kalidasa was a member of his court. Kalidasa has mentioned his benefactor Vikramaditya in a play named Vikramorvashiya. To celebrate the birth of this king’s son Kumaragupta, he wrote a play named Kumarasambhava.

The scholars Ferguson, MacMuller and Cairn suggest that kalidasa lived in the 6th century AD, though he was still attached to Ujjain.

Raghuvansha and Kumarasambhava are the most famous of Kalidasa’s poems. The plays Abhijnanashakunthalam, Vikramorvashiya, Malavikagnimitra and a work named Rithusamhara are also credited to him. He has also written the famous poem Meghasandesha.

The son of King Subala. He was killed by Abhimanyu as per Mahabharata Dronaparva Chapter 49.

A holy place that provides the same benefits as Kaalikashrama.