Uttarakuru

Uttarakuru is the name of a dvipa ("continent") in ancient Hindu and Buddhist mythology.

The Uttarakuru country and its people are sometimes described as belonging to the real world, whereas other times they appear to be mythical.

Vedic Literature

Aitareya Brahmana makes first reference to "Uttarakuru" and Uttaramadra as real-life Janapadas. According to Aitareya Brahmana, these two nations lied beyond the Himalayan ranges (Hindukush). The Aitareya Brahmana adduces these two people as examples of republican (vairajiya) nations, where whole Janapada took the consecration of rulership [

:tasmad atasyam udichya dishi ye ke ca pren himvantam janapada uttarakurva uttaramadra :iti vairajyaya te.abhishichyante ::— "(Aitareya Brahmana, VIII/14)".] . Aitareya Brahmana again notes that Uttarakuru was a devak-setra or divine land.

Puranas

In later literature like Puranas, the Uttarakurus are sometimes described as mythical people, while at other times their description seems to place them in the real world.

Puranic cosmography divides our earth into seven concentric islands called Jambu, Plaksha, Salmali, Kusha, Kraunca, Shaka, and Pushkara. They are separated by the seven encircling seas. The insular continent Jambudvipa forms the innermost concentric island in the scheme of continents. Jambudvipa includes nine countries (varṣa) and nine mountains. The land of "Illa-vrta" lies at the center of Jambudivipa at whose center is located Mount Meru. The land of "Uttarakuru" lies to the north of Mount Meru. [

External links

* [http://www.valmikiramayan.net/kishkindha/sarga43/kishkindha_43_frame.htm Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda Sarga 43]
* [http://www.hindunet.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=47354&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1 About UttaraKurus, Kuru/Puru and The Madras/Uttara-Madras]
* [http://www.palikanon.com/namen/u/uttarakuru.htm Pali Defintion of Uttarakuru]