Kaikeyi,(Sanskrit: कैकेयी, IAST: Kaikeyī) is a princess of Kekeya and the queen of Kosala in the Hindu epic Ramayana.

Kaikeyi is the third queen and favourite consort of King Dasharatha, who ruled Kosala from its capital, Ayodhya.

Initially loving and motherly towards her stepson, Prince Rama, Kaikeyi's mind is poisoned by Manthara, her maid.

[2] Consequently, Kausalya gives birth to Rama, Sumitra to the twins Lakshmana and Satrughna, and Kaikeyi to Bharata.

Kaikeyi demanded that Bharata be crowned king, and Rama be sent to the forest for a period of fourteen years.

Hearing this, Dasharatha fell into a swoon and passed the night in a pitiable condition in Kaikeyi's palace.

Realising her mistake, Kaikeyi repented sending her beloved step son away for fourteen years.

King Dasharatha mentions that he did not treat his queen Kausalya with the love she deserved due to fear of Kaikeyi's tantrums and possessiveness.

She naively mentions to her maid Manthara that Bharata can rule Ayodhya after Rama, not understanding the law of primogeniture.

[12] Kaikeyi's naive nature and gentleness were transformed into obstinacy and a hunger for power all in the name of her son Bharata's welfare.

Bharata contests her views vociferously and despises her for her act of banishing the rightful heir Rama to the forest for punishing him for no fault of his own.