Jayasthiti Malla

 Jayasthiti Malla ascended the throne at the time when the condition of Nepal was worsening. The central government was very weak and the feudal lords were fighting among them selves. There was no peace at home. The Kingdom was split with dissension and feud. Social life was also chaotic. Weights and measures differed from one part of the country to another. There were no standard and uniform weights and measures throughout Nepal. There was no uniformity even in law and justice and other governmental rules and regulations. The strong oppressed the weak. Under the then existing condition, Nepal needed a strong monarch just as England needed a strong monarchy just on the eve of the beginning of the Tudor period. Just as the English people found a strong monarch in Henry VII, the Nepalese also found a strong mo narch in Jayasthiti Malla. He was a great reformer. He brought about social, economic and religious reforms. Social reforms He introduced social reforms by defining the jobs of the people of each and every caste 'and sub-caste into which the Nepali society was then divided, the dressess they were to put on and the social usages they were to observe on different social occasions as marriage, birth, death and other ceremonial func tions. The Brahraans were to conduct priestly functions. They 25 were also to act as preceptors. The high caste Hindus were given different high posts in the administration. Some were appointed as Amatya, others, as Pradhan, Maskay and Bhandil. The other high caste Hindus were to engage themselves in trade and commerce and agriculture. The jobs of other castes were also similarly defined. The Buddhist Bhikshus who were householders were not allowed to sit idle. Among those who were learned were to act as priests and preceptors and those who were illiterate or half literate were to act as goldsmiths, carpenters, masons and other artisans. Provision in law was also made for the punishment of those who did not engage them selves in their respective jobs, did not put on the clothes as specified and did not go by social customs and usages as pres cribed. The rates of remuneration for each and every job were also fixed with provision in law for the punishment of those who demanded more. As a result of the job descrip tion of Jayasthti Malla, there was not only the division of la bour in society but the problem of unemployment was also re moved to a great extent. Besides, men of different castes gained mastery over and skill and efficiency in their respective jobs, culminating in the production of masterpieces of different arts and architecture. His economic reforms: Owing to the prevalence of different weights and measu res in different parts of the country, a lot of inconvenience was caused to the smooth flow of trade and commerce. Jayasthiti Malla did away with this snag by introducing uniform weights and measures all over Nepal. This improved trade and com merce resulting in the economic development of the country. By introducing 'Ta'nga' a chain-Jike measuring rod, lands were' 26 surveyed and measured. As a result, lands could be easily bought and sold. Later on, the neighbouring kings also, follow ing in the footsteps of Jayasthiti Malla, intrpduced standard weights and measures in their respective principalities. Rama Shah, the king of Gorkha also brought about these reforms. Improvement Upon the Nepal code He did away with the old practice of whipping with straps and using the word 'Fie', 'Fie', and introduced the prac tice of punishing the offenders in proportion to the gravity of the offences they committed. Development of Art, Literature and Music Under the patronage of Jayasthiti Malla, music and lite rature flourished. Beautiful books were written in Sanskrit and Newari. The Ramayana and the play of Bhairabananda were played during his reign. He made it imperative upon the people to accompany the funeral procession of kings and to cremate them in accompaniment with Deepak Raga. It shows how high ly music was developed under his reign. He also developed art and architecture. On the other side of the Arya Ghat, he got the images of Rama Chandra, Lava and Kusha installed. He got a temple of Gorakhnath built at Mrigasthalee and His feet installed. He renovated the temple of Gokarneshwar and intro duced the practice of worshipping the god daily. To meet the expenses of the daily worship of the god he endowed lands. At Khumbheshwar in Lalitpur he built a two-storeyed temple and put a golden pinnacle on it He restored the pond there in good condition and installed the image of NarayaH, Ganesh, Sitala, Basuki, Gauri and so on in the court-yard of Kumbheswar. In order to pacify the wrath of Sitala Devi (Goddess of small-pox) the image of Unmatta Bhairab was installed. He also 27 performed Kotyahuti Yajna. No water flowed out of the stone tap at Devapatan. Jayas thiti Malla repaired it and made water flow out of it to the great relief of the people of that place. After introducing many reforms, earning name and fame and goodwill of the people, one of the most famous and bravest kings in the history of Nepal passed away in the year 1395 A.D. If we compare the state of xndia and that of Nepal pre vailing in the last quarter of the fourteenth century, we find a contrast. In India anarchy was rampant. A state of disorder fol lowed the death of Firoz Shah. The capital was torn by civil war and the provinces were revolting, but there was peace in Nepal. People were enjoying peace and prosperity under Jaya sthiti Malla. Towards this period China also seemed to have degenerated, though she enjoyed peace and prosperity during Kubla Khan's reign. At long last the Mongol dynasty was overthrown by the Chinese patriot Hung Wu who was a monk, a soldier, a statesman and a reformer. It was he who delivered China from the foreign oppressor. Yaksha Malla After the death of Jayasthiti Malla his son Jyoti Malla became king. Yaksha Malla was the son of Jyoti Malla by his wife Samsar Devi. He ascen ded the throne of Nepal in 1428 A.D. As he had a strong army, he engaged himself in the task of expanding his territories. As a result of his conquests, the boundary of Nepal extended as far as Sikkim in the east, Kerung, Kuti on the north, Gorkha in the west and north Bihar in the south. Banepa was also in cluded in his kingdom. Though he was a great conqueror, he had no power to consolidate his conquered territories. So in 28 his old age, almost all the conquered states became independent. Yaksha Malla had three sons and one daughter. Like King Lear he divided his kingdom among his three sons and one daughter. Raya Malla, the crown prince was given the kingdom of Bhaktapur, the second prince Rana Malla was made king of Banepa, the third prince Ratna Malla, the king of Kantipur and Lalitpur was given to the princess. The division of the kingdom among his sons and daughter as a personal property was a fatal political blunder on his part. This sowed the seed of the downfall of the Malla dynasty. As Rana Malla had no issue, Banepa was left behind as a bequest to the ruler of Bhaktapur. This division of the kingdom created jealousy and dissension among the rulers. The rulers became non-cooperative in their attitude towards each other. It led to the weakening of the power of the rulers and paved the way for the invasion of Nepal by Prithbi Narayan Shah, the then Gorkha ruler. Yaksha Malla was a devotee of Shiva. He made a good natured and well-bred Brahman of the Deccan, priest of Pashupa ti Nath. To assist him a Shrestha of Devapatan was appointed as a store-keeper. Bhatta priest seemed to have been appointed only from that time on. He renovated the temples in all the three towns of Nepal, namely Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur. He surrounded Bhadgaon with walls on all sides. Though he was an able administrator, he was not far-sighted. He could not foresee the far-reaching consequences of the division of the kingdom which he made. Though a conqueror he did not know how to consolidate his newly conquered territories