A city of the gods, mighty, prosperous and full of devas (D.ii.147, 170; Mil.2).

It was one of the chief cities of Uttarakuru, and a royal residence of Kuvera (D.iii.201; Cv.xxxix.5).

It is probably another name for Alakā.

The name is used as a simile to describe cities of great wealth (e.g., Cv.xxxvii.106; lxxxi.3; MT.411; BuA.55).

In the Vinaya Cūḷavagga (Vin.ii.152) the word is used as an adjective (vihārā ālakamaṇḍā honti) to mean crowded with people, and Buddhaghosa explains it by saying “ālakamaṇḍā ti ekaṅgaṇā manussābhikiṇṇā.”