# Bhupatindra Malla

_Malla ruler_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/bhupatindra-malla
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Bhupatindra Malla (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐨𑐹𑐥𑐟𑐷𑐣𑑂𑐡𑑂𑐬 𑐩𑐮𑑂𑐮‎; 3 November 1674 – 15 April 1722) was a Malla Dynasty King of the Kingdom of Bhaktapur (present day Bhaktapur, Nepal) who reigned from 1696 until his death in 1722. He is the most widely known king of Bhaktapur and is among the most popular of the Malla dynasty. He is popularly known in Bhaktapur as nepaḥ juju, meaning the king of the Newars. His reign was characterized by the construction of numerous palaces and temples with the Nyatapola temple being his most revered contribution. An integral part of the local folklore, Bhupatindra Malla is regarded as a great builder and a lover of arts whose reign is considered the cultural high point of Bhaktapur. In particular, he was a scholar of the Maithili language and composed 26 plays in Maithili throughout his lifetime.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1695 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13184445#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Nepal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13184445#P19))
- **Died:** 1722 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13184445#P570))
- **Citizenship:** Nepal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13184445#P27))
- **Positions held:** Raja (1696–1722); King of Nepal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13184445#P39))

## Public office

- Officeholder record: https://diginpl.com/next/explore/person/bhupatindra-malla

## About

His parents, Jitamitra and Lālamati, wanted him to be a skilled ruler and since childhood he was given a chance to rule alongside his father. He was also keen on building, having built a hiti and a public shelter (called a phalcā in Nepal Bhasa) at Thimi as a prince. His most famous contributions are the Nyatapola Temple, a Nepalese-style five-storey temple completed in a six-month period between 1702 and 1703 and the palace of fifty-five windows, both of which are often considered an apogee of Nepalese architecture. He was also an avid lyricist and playwright with some of his songs still being sung in Bhaktapur. Bhupatindra Malla was also a politically strong figure in the Nepal Valley and established the reputation of Bhaktapur as a strong military principality similar to that of Kantipur. He has been described by Ippolito Desideri as "the first ruler of Bhaktapur to not pay tribute to the king of Kantipur". Bhupatindra Malla is among the most popular and influential of the Malla kings and also has great cultural importance in Bhaktapur. The silhouette…

## Questions

**When was Bhupatindra Malla born?**  
Bhupatindra Malla was born on 1695 in Nepal.

**What positions has Bhupatindra Malla held?**  
Positions held by Bhupatindra Malla include: Raja (1696–1722); King of Nepal.

## Related

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- [Ranajit Malla](https://diginpl.com/people/ranajit-malla)
- [Naresha Malla](https://diginpl.com/people/naresha-malla)
- [Jitamitra Malla](https://diginpl.com/people/jitamitra-malla)
- [Jagat Prakasha Malla](https://diginpl.com/people/jagat-prakasha-malla)
- [Rana Bahadur Shah](https://diginpl.com/people/rana-bahadur-shah)
- [Gyanendra of Nepal](https://diginpl.com/people/gyanendra-of-nepal)
- [Birendra of Nepal](https://diginpl.com/people/birendra-of-nepal)
- [Dipendra of Nepal](https://diginpl.com/people/dipendra-of-nepal)
- [Śuddhodana](https://diginpl.com/people/suddhodana)
- [Mahendra of Nepal](https://diginpl.com/people/mahendra-of-nepal)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Bhupatindra Malla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhupatindra_Malla) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): भूपतीन्द्र मल्ल](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q13184445](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13184445) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Bhupatindra Malla.jpg by Unknown author Unknown author (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bhupatindra_Malla.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Bhupatindra Malla, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Bhupatindra Malla.jpg — Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Bhupatindra Malla". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/bhupatindra-malla. Retrieved 4 November 2026.