Jitamitra Malla

Jitamitra Malla was a Malla Dynasty King of Bhaktapur, Nepal from 1673 till his abdication in 1696.

He left his throne in 1696 to his eldest son Bhupatindra Malla to spend the rest of his life in religious activities, and died on 14 November 1708.

Construction efforts A son of Sri Jaya Jagatprakasa Malla Raja, Jitamitra was noted for his construction projects. In 1674 he built a Shikara-style Shiva temple with a gilded repousse mask of the God on each side in Bhaktapur. In 1682 he built near the Durbar the two-storied Dharmasala Palace with a golden Mahadeva. The palace was used by royalty until 1769 and today is a museum and part of the World Heritage Site on Durbar Square. To the east of this, he erected the temple and statue of Narayana, along with the temples of Dattatrikasa and Pashupati. An inscription in 1678 states that he built the royal palace Thanathu Dubar and its gardens and courtyard. Jitamitra was also credited with restoring Kumari Chowk, the images of Astamatrikas and, in 1690, donated two large cooper kettledrums (nagara) or bells to his favourite deity, the goddess Taleju for the gilded roof of Taleju. He also contributed a finely carved wooden tympanum above the main entrance to the Mul Chowk and also erected many memorials in Bhaktapur.

Literary works Jitamitra Malla is known to have composed eight poems in the Newar language. Among those poems, only two have been published. He is also known to have composed ten dramas in the Maithili language although none of these have been published. Jitamitra Malla wrote two Newar plays, which are: Mahābhārata Nāṭaka (1676) Jaiminibhārata Nāṭaka (1689)