Culture and Religion under the Mallas
The Malla period was a golden age of Newar culture. The Newars, the indigenous people of the Kathmandu Valley, developed a complex urban civilization based on agriculture, trade, and crafts. They were organized into caste and occupational groups, and their guthi system managed temples, festivals, and charitable works.Religious life was deeply syncretic. Hinduism and Buddhism existed side by side, and many Newars practiced both. The Kumari, a young girl worshipped as a living goddess, was and remains a powerful symbol of this blend. Important temples and stupas such as Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Changunarayan, and Taleju were expanded and renovated. The Malla kings, though Hindu, also respected Buddhist deities and supported Tibetan and Newar Buddhist communities.