Malla (Nepal)

Malla (Nepal)

The Malla Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of Nepal from the 12th to the 18th century. It was during their reign that the people living in and around the Kathmandu Valley began to be called "Newars" (or Nepa:mi in Nepal Bhasa, meaning citizens of Nepal). The Mallas were the ruling clan of the Malla Mahajanapada. The Mallas (literally "wrestlers" in Sanskrit) had been forced out of India and their name can be found in the Mahabharat and in Buddhist literature. The first of the Malla kings came to power in Kathmandu Valley around 1200. The Malla period was a golden one that stretched over 550 years, though it was peppered with fighting over the valuable trade routes to Tibet.