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New Evidence for the Jagannātha Cult inSeventeenth Century Nepal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2009

John Guy
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Extract

The Kathmandu valley in the seventeenth century wasvery prosperous, the bulk of its wealth derived fromthe trade which flowed through the valley betweenTibet and the Indian plains. The ancient urbancentres of the valley, Kathmandu, Patan andBhaktapur had emerged early in the century as threeseparate kingdoms. The tradition of jointrulership,whereby rule of each city-state was shared betweenbranches of the ruling Malla dynasty had collapsed.The three kingdoms were engaged in constant rivalrywhich intermittently spilt over into open hostilityand which consumed much of their energy and wealth.Yet it was also this rivalry which stimulated an eraof generous royal patronage of the priesthood andthe sponsoring of major pūjās andreligious festivals, together with the building ofnew palaces and temples dedicated to the rulers'favourite deities. Support was extended not only tothe artists commissioned to decorate the palaces andshrines, but also to poets, writers and musicianswho found their work being encouraged, particularlywhen Nepalese court life underwent something of arenaissance under Mithila influence. This activityreached a peak during the reign of the enlightenedand cultured King Pratapamalla of Kathmandu(1641–74), and under that of his contemporary andrival, King Jagatprakas'amalla of Bhaktapur(1643–72).

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Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , July 1992 , pp. 213 - 230
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1992

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References

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