Khandava Forest (
Khandava Vana,
Sanskrit: खाण्डव वन,
khāndəvə vənə) or
Khandavaprastha was an ancient
forest mentioned in the epic
Mahabharata. It lay to the west of
Yamuna river, in modern-day
Delhi territory.
Pandavas cleared this forest to construct their capital city called
Indraprastha. This forest was earlier inhabited by
Naga tribes led by a king named
Takshaka.
Arjuna and
Krishna cleared this forest by setting up a fire. The inhabitants of this forest were displaced. This was the root cause of the enmity of the Naga Takshaka towards the
Kuru kings who ruled from Indraprastha and
Hastinapura.