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Lord Mahavira and His Times
have a reference to the Mote Hall of the Pāvā Mallas named Ubbhataka.I There were some other Malla towns, namely, Bhoganagara lying between Jambugrāma and Pāvā, Anupiyā between Kuśīnārā and the river Anomā and Uruvelakappa.
The relations between the Mallas and the Lichchhavīs were sometimes hostile and sometimes friendly. They became allies for self-defence at the time of Kūņika-Ajātaśatru's inva. sion, though the Bhadasāla Jataka? offers us an account of a conflict between them.
Jainism and Buddhism found many followers among the Mallas. From the Jaina Kalpasūtra, we learn that the nine Mallakis or Malla Chiefs were among those that instituted an illumination on the day of the new moon, saying, “Since the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material matter." At the time of the Buddha's death, we find both the main sections of the Mallas claim. ing a share of his bodily remains. This also proves that these two main clans retained their distinctive independence.
Soon after the Buddha's death, the Mallas appear to have lost their independencc with their dominions annexed to the Magadhan empire." CHEDI (Cheti)
The Chedis were one of the most ancient tribes of India. They had two distinct settlements, of which one was in the mountains of Nepal and the other in Bundelkhand. D. R. BHANDARKARS maintains that Cheta or Chetiya corresponds roughly to modern Bundelkhand. Sotthivatinagara, probably identical with Sukti or Suktimats of the Mahabhārata, was its capital. Other important towns of the Chedis were Salajāti and Tripuri. Sahajāti lay on the trade route along the river Ganga. We learn from the Vedabbha Jalaka that the road from 1. DPPN, II, 191. 2. JC, No. 405. 3. SBE, XXII, p. 266. 4. CL, 1. 79. 5. Ibid, 1. 52. 6. RBI, p. 103. 7. ja, No. 48.
