184 x 106 cm
Acrylic on Canvas
As the city revels in the celebration of Indra Jatra, here is a tribute to the King who we owe much for the cultural development of this nation- Raja Jayasthiti Malla (r 1382-1395) The country had been going through continuous political chaos after the end of the Licchavi dynasty. Jayasthiti came as a savior from Simraungadh, Terai and is credited for saving the nation from disintegration, bringing order back, and firmly establishing the Malla dynasty. A man without any royal lineage he gained access to the throne with his sheer dynamism. He married the grand daughter of the King of Bhaktapur, Rudra Malla and eventually became a sovereign of all three kingdoms- Bhaktapur, Patan and Kathmandu Seen here is the "Tilapatra Daan"puja that took place in Pashupati to celebrate the unity of Kathmandu with Patan and Bhaktapur Raja Jayasthiti Malla convinced the Chief of Kathmandu, Jayarasimha for annexation and for the first time, unification of the three cities occurred - a watershed moment in history, but not marked or studied much. The art is based on the research of Late historian DR Regmi, and the event is noted in Gopal Vamsavali ( historical documentation of Nepal) The artist has researched into the period and done his best in portraying 14th c Nepal.
The painting is also one of the few depicting Jayasthiti Malla and is a significant documentation on canvas of his reign. The nation owes much to this great soul, lest we forget.
Conceptualised by: Shaguni Singh Sakya.
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