Ekalavya was a little known character of the Mahabharata. No clear reference is available anywhere as to when and where he was born. In the Mahabharata, Ekalavya was referred for the first time, as a keen boy who wanted to learn archer y from the lear ned Guru Dronachar ya. According to the Mahabharata, Ekalavya was the son of a Bhil (a tribe) chief, Hiranyadhanu. Hiranyadhanu lived in a forest a little distance away from Hastinapur. He was the chief of his tribe. Ekalavya was brought up in the same forest.