Ranajita Malla (

Nepal bhasa Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepa ...

: ) (

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental syste ...

: रणजीत मल्ल) was a

Malla Dynasty Malla may refer to: Places ;Bolivia *Malla, Bolivia, a locality * Malla Jawira, a river * Malla Jaqhi, a mountain * Malla Municipality * Malla Qullu, a mountain ;India * Mallapuram, Tamil Nadu *Malla (tribe), an ancient republic, one of the s ...

King of

Bhaktapur , motto = ne, पुर्खले सिर्जेको सम्पत्ती, हाम्रो कला र संस्कृति , lit=Creation of our ancestors, our heritage and culture , image_map ...

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

from 1722 to 1769. He was the last Malla king of

and of

who left for

Kashi Kashi or Kaashi may refer to: Places * Varanasi (historically known as "Kashi"), a holy city in India **Kingdom of Kashi, an ancient kingdom in the same place, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas **Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi * Kashgar, a cit ...

after his defeat by the Gorkhali forces of

Prithivi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...

. He is widely known for his contributions to

Nepal Bhasa literature The Newar language of Nepal has the fourth oldest literature tradition among the Sino-Tibetan languages (after Chinese, Tibetan and Burmese). The earliest known document in Newar is called "The Palmleaf from Uku Bahal" which dates from 1114 duri ...

. Ranajit Malla is also known for his democratic values and was known to allow his citizens to openly criticize him.

Early life

Ranajit Malla was born to Bhupatindra Malla and Vishwo Lakshmi Malla on 26 January 1703. He had a very happy and comfortable childhood with his mother Vishwo Lakshmi and his grandmother Lalamati. As he was born in a politically messy time his father taught him politics at a young age.

Physical contributions

Ranajit Malla like many other

Malla Kings of Bhaktapur Malla may refer to: Places ;Bolivia *Malla, Bolivia, a locality *Malla Jawira, a river * Malla Jaqhi, a mountain *Malla Municipality *Malla Qullu, a mountain ;India * Mallapuram, Tamil Nadu *Malla (tribe), an ancient republic, one of the sixte ...

contributed in beautifying Bhaktapur by building many heritages. As Ranajit Malla reign was in a politically unstable period, his contributions are few compared to his forefathers.

Lūn Dhwākhā

Known among tourists as the Golden gate, Lūn Dhwākhā (

: ) is the entrance to the Mulā Chwōkā containing the shrine of Taleju. As per the gilt copper inscription on the gate, it was installed on the year 874 of the Nepalese era(=1753AD) by King Ranajit Malla and his Queen Jay(Buddhi) Lakshmi Malla. Although it is said that a golden gate on the entrance to the shrine of Taleju was originally planned to be built four generations before Ranajit by King

Naresha Malla Naresha Malla ( ne, नरेश मल्ल) (died 1644), often referred to as Naresh or Narindra, was a Malla Dynasty King of Bhaktapur, Nepal from 1637 to 1644. He was succeeded by his son Jagat Prakasha Malla Jagat Prakasha Malla (Nepal Bha ...

but none of the kings before him could build it due to the lack of gold. Ranajit however used the profits that he gained from trading with the Tibetans on building the golden gate.

The bell of Taleju

Right in the front of the Golden gate on a tall platform is a gaint bell that is played while doing the Puja of Taleju. This kind of bell is present on the Durbar Square of both Patan and

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...

. Locally known as Tagoun Gān( ), its sound was once said to be heard anywhere in the

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

. This bell was installed by Ranajit Malla on 6 January 1737AD.

Sāfukuthi

Sāfukuthi (

Nepal Bhasa Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepa ...

: ) also sometimes referred as Sākothā was said to be a big library presently located at Sākothā tole in

. Ranajit Malla is said to have loved collecting old and antique things which were kept in the Sāfukuthi along with various books relating to religion, science and medicine. Most of the books and manuscript present in the library were destroyed by fire during the Battle of Bhaktapur and the building itself was completely destroyed during the earthquake of 1833 and 2015.

Literary contribution

Among all the kings of Bhaktapur, Ranajit Malla is considered a pioneer in

Nepal bhasa literature The Newar language of Nepal has the fourth oldest literature tradition among the Sino-Tibetan languages (after Chinese, Tibetan and Burmese). The earliest known document in Newar is called "The Palmleaf from Uku Bahal" which dates from 1114 duri ...

. Most of the songs in old songbooks of

bear his signature. He himself was a prolific singer himself and was said to have spent more time reciting poems and songs than the politics of the kingdom. Besides songs, he also wrote various

plays Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

like ''Indrābijaya, Ushāharan, Krishnacharitra''. He also authored many books like ''Rukmaniharan, Pshatdarshana'' etc. Most of his works were written in the Newari script in a Newari-cum-

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

language. Many of Ranajit Malla's creations are devotional Dāphā and Rāga songs. His works still quite popular among the singers of Bhaktapur. One of his most popular work is a Newari song he wrote for the annual

Biska Jatra Biska Jatra, is an annual event in Bhaktapur, Dhapasi, Madhyapur Thimi and Tokha and other places in Nepal. The festival is celebrated at the start of the new year on the Bikram Sambat calendar, however, the festival itself is not related to Bikra ...

titled Thō thēn jāgū rasan'''. This song written in the seasonal

Pahan Charhe Pāhān Charhe (Devanagari: पाहां चह्रे) also known as Pāsā Charhe (पासा चह्रे) is one of the greatest religious festivals of the year in Nepal Mandala. It is celebrated with particular fervor in Kathmandu, ...

tune is still sung as a seasonal song during Biska Jatra in

. ''Hé Síva Bhairava'' is another song sung before the chariot procession of

and is also written by Ranajit Malla in the Bhairava

Rāga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradition, and as ...

. As Ranajit Malla aged, his interest in singing started to increase. By the time of the Battle of Bhaktapur, the old Ranajit had almost given up on politics and spent most of his time on singing devotional songs. As he was singing hymns and

raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

s while waiting for

Yama Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities ...

to take him,

was mostly in the hands of his sons who were supportive of the Gorkha King. The invading king took advantage of Ranajit's political weakness and bribed his illegitimate sons who secretly helped the invaders during the

Battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

and even opened the city gates of

during the

to allow the invaders in the city. After being defeated in the Battle of Bhaktapur by the Gorkhalis, Ranajit Malla was sent to

under his own choice by the Gorkhali King. Deeply saddened by having to leave his kingdom, he composed a

song, expressing his sorrows in the hills of

Chandragiri Chandragiri is a suburb and neighbourhood of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headqua ...

where he looked at his kingdom for the last time before leaving for Kashi. He is said to have recited this song while crying uncontrollably. The first lines of the song appear below. Nepal Bhasa :1. hāya hāya rāma rāma gathe maluma nepāla :2. satru durjananan(g) phutakālayoa(ā)va :3. jhinte dola raje samadatāyo jita vāsa :4. videsayā vāsa jula thani a(ā)va rama rama :5. hathujana bhāya papan(m) manenāguswoyā dhuno :6. panjalasa chwonā maduthe jinona rāma rāma :7. navadurgā ganesyāke saharsha ji vinati yānā :8. lāsalāpi aparādha kshemā yāhu rama rama :9. lhāya gohmayāke jina dukhayā vedana :10. thugu pāsa pheniao suna na rama rama :11. piratiyāna vacona chalayata durajanana :12. haya haya chu nugala jula rama rama :13. suryavamsi kulamani sri ranajita malla :14. talejuna vila vaikuntha vasa rama rama Translation :1. Oh Ram! Oh Ram! How could I survive without remembering Nepal? :2. The evil enemy destroyed me now :3.

here is Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Television * Here TV (formerly "here!"), a TV ...

no more shelter

or me Or or OR may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * "O.R.", a 1974 episode of M*A*S*H * Or (My Treasure), a 2004 movie from Israel (''Or'' means "light" in Hebrew) Music * ''Or'' (album), a 2002 album by Golden Boy with Mis ...

in the country of twelve thousand ouseholds :4. A foreign land has become my abode now on! Oh Ram! Oh Ram!! :5. As the fruit of the sin that I committed in my previous life,
I have already seen what I have not even heard of! :6. There is no point of living in a cage! Oh Ram! Oh Ram!! :7. I pray million times to Goddess Nava-Durga and God Ganesa! :8. For a pardon over the crimes I committed! Oh Ram! Oh Ram!! :9. To how many people the grief of pain I express? :10. No one can make me free from this anguish! Oh Ram! Oh Ram!! :11. Kept on showing affection, the evil onspiratordeceived e :12. Alas! Alas! What sort of thinking

f mine F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...

caused this? Oh Ram! :13. othis Ranajit Malla, the jewel of the Solar Dynasty,
A shelter in heaven is offered by Goddess Taleju! Oh Ram! Oh Ram!!

Relations with other kingdoms

Ranajit Malla's reign was the most politically messy period in Bhaktapur. The internal conflict among his sons and his queens weakened Bhaktapur form the inside. On top of that Bhaktapur was frequently attacked by both

Kantipur Kantipur (from kanti ''light'', pur ''city'') was a medieval kingdom in the Malla confederacy of Nepal. The name of the kingdom was derived from the Sanskrit name of its capital city, now known as Kathmandu. History The kingdom started after ...

and Yela. In order to get military strengthen Bhaktapur Ranajit hoped an alliance with the Kingdom of Gorkha by allowing the Gorkha Prince

Prithvi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...

, who had been rejected by

Jaya Prakash Malla Jaya Prakash Malla ( ne, जयप्रकाश मल्ल) (died 1768) was the last king of Yen (यें) or Kantipur (कान्तिपुर) which corresponds to present-day Kathmandu. He ruled from 1736 to 1746, and then from 1750 ...

, to study in Bhaktapur and also established a ''Miteri''relation between his eldest son Birnarasimha Malla and the Gorkha Prince. Prithivi Narayan Shah, seeing the prosperity of the Malla kingdoms developed an ambition to conquer the kingdoms and become the king of these prosperous kingdoms.

Battle of Bhaktapur

When both

and Yela fell to the Gorkha kingdom, the kings of both these kingdoms came to Bhaktapur seeking refuge.

Gallery

File:A Malla king on his throne.jpg, alt=King Ranajit Malla of Bhaktapur sitting on his throne as depicted in a Vishnu Paubha, dated August 1722 CE, King Ranajit Malla of

sitting on his throne as depicted in a

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

Paubha A paubhā (Devanagari: पौभा) is a traditional religious painting made by the Newar people of Nepal. Paubhas depict deities, mandalas or monuments, and are used to help the practitioners in meditation. The Tibetan equivalent is known as ...

, dated August 1722 CE File:Golden gate – Bhaktapur – 01.jpg, The Golden gate as the entrance to the former palace of Bhaktapur File:Le palais royal (Bhaktapur) (8566410592).jpg, Stone images of Ranajit Mala (right) and his father Bhupatindra Malla (left) as the guardians of the entrance to the Bhairava Chwōkā, Bhaktapur Durbar Square File:Bell Dogs Bell Bhaktapur Durbar Square Bhaktapur Nepal Rajesh Dhungana.jpg, The Taleju bell of

File:Malla-king at National Museum of Nepal.jpg, alt=, Bronze image of a young Ranajit Malla at the National museum of Nepal

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Malla, Ranajit Malla rulers of Bhaktapur Malla rulers of Lalitpur People from Bhaktapur 18th-century Nepalese people Nepalese Hindus