A brahmin village in the Kosala country. It was while staying in the woodland thicket (vanasanda) there that the Buddha preached the Ambattha Sutta (D.i.87). From this sutta, the village would seem to have been near Pokkharasádi's domain of Ukkatthá. It was the residence of "Mahásála" brahmins. The Sutta Nipáta (p.115) (which spells the name as Icchánankala) mentions several eminent brahmins who lived there, among them Cankí, Tárukkha, Pokkarasáti, Jánussoni and Todeyya.
There were also two learned youths, Vásettha and Bharadvája at Icchánankala, who, finding it impossible to bring their discussion to a conclusion, sought the Buddha, then staying in the village. Their interview with the Buddha is recorded in the Vásettha Sutta (Ibid., 115ff.; M ii.146ff). Buddhaghosa (SnA.ii.462) says that learned brahmins of Kosala, deeply versed in the Vedas, were in the habit of meeting together from time to time (once in six months, MA.ii.796) at Icchánangala in order to recite the Vedas and discuss their interpretation. These brahmins met at Ukkatthá, under Pokkharasáti, when they wished to cleanse their caste (játisodhanattham), and at Icchánankala in order to revise their Vedic hymns (mante sodhetu-kámá), MA.ii.796.
According to the Samyutta Nikáya (v.325), the Buddha once stayed for three months in the jungle thicket at Icchánangala, in almost complete solitude, visited only by a single monk who brought him his food. But from the Anguttara Nikáya (iii.30f.; cf. iii.341 and iv.340ff), it would appear that the Buddha was not left to enjoy the solitude which he desired, for we are told that the residents of Icchánangala, having heard of the Buddha's visit, came to him in large numbers and created a disturbance by their shouts. The Buddha had to send Nágita, who was then his personal attendant, to curb the enthusiasm of his admirers.