In Rudyard Kipling’s story “Kaa’s Hunting,” what place do the Bandar-log take Mowgli to?

In Rudyard Kipling’s story “Kaa’s Hunting,” the Bandar-log take Mowgli to the Cold Lairs. The name refers to the ruins of an abandoned human city where the monkey people live.

The Bandar-log abduct Mowgli because they want his knowledge of human skills, including his ability to weave branches into a shelter. They carry him through the forest to the ruins, where he is held among crumbling walls, empty courtyards, and remnants of an earlier civilization.

Bagheera and Baloo cannot safely follow the monkeys through the treetops, so they seek Kaa’s assistance. The python knows the Bandar-log’s habits and reaches the Cold Lairs in time to help rescue Mowgli. The setting gives the story a distinctive contrast between jungle nature and decaying human architecture.

The Cold Lairs should not be confused with Council Rock, where the wolf pack meets, or the Seeonee Hills, the broader region associated with Mowgli’s pack. They are specifically the ruined city in “Kaa’s Hunting.”