The Malla Era
By Sushil Kumar De
Summary
In response to a previous note on the chronology of the Malla dynasty of Bengal, this short article confirms the existence of a distinct “Malla Era” used in certain inscriptions from the kingdom of Viṣṇupur. By examining a newly discovered manuscript, the author shows that the era was counted from the accession of King Jagat Malla in the late seventeenth century and was employed concurrently with the Śaka era. The article resolves a dispute over whether the era began in 694 or 695 of the Śaka era and concludes that the earlier date is supported by the manuscript evidence.
Conclusion
Though brief, the note clarifies a point of regional chronology by demonstrating that the Malla rulers of Viṣṇupur counted their own era from the accession of Jagat Malla. This finding helps historians synchronise local and imperial dates.