Nyātāpola, known in Nepal Bhasa as "ṅātāpola," derives its name from the words "ṅātā" meaning "five stories" and "pola" meaning "roof" in the Bhaktapur dialect of Nepal Bhasa, spoken in the central part of Bhaktapur, Nepal. It is the tallest monument in Bhaktapur and the tallest temple in Nepal. Commissioned by King Bhupatindra Malla, its construction took place over six months, from December 1701 to July 1702. Uniquely, Nyatapola is one of the few temples not named after the deity residing inside it.
The primary source of information on the construction history of Nyatapola is a palm leaf manuscript known as "siddhāgni koṭyāhuti devala pratiṣṭhā," named by modern scribes. This manuscript, written in Nepal Bhasa, contains detailed records of the names, wages, and work hours of every individual involved in the construction, as well as the costs and details of every religious ritual performed and a comprehensive timeline of the construction. The manuscript begins with the sentence: "Hail the god Ganesha. After performing a siddhāgni koṭyāhuti yagya, Maharaja Bhupatindra Malla inaugurated the Nyatapola temple."
It also includes the dimensions of every piece of timber donated by the public. Most of the stones for the temple were donated by citizens and local leaders from the twenty-four historical districts of Bhaktapur, with additional contributions from the people of Thimi, Banepa, Panauti, and Nagadesh. According to legend, in 1078 AD, Lord Bhairava, the Hindu deity of death, caused chaos in society. The Temple of Bhairava stood on Taumadhi Street. To counter his destructive actions, King Bhupatindra Malla invoked goddess Parvati, who transformed into Siddhi Laxmi and subdued Bhairava. Consequently, a more substantial temple was constructed in her honor directly in front of the Bhairab Temple, symbolizing her dominance over Bhairava. King Bhupatendra Malla also ordered guardians to be positioned in pairs on each level of the base leading up to the Nyatapola Temple to ensure the brick and wood structure's strength and stability.
Siddha Lakshmi, known as the 'Accomplished Auspicious One,' is the patron deity of the Malla Kings of the Kathmandu Valley and their descendants, who reigned from the 13th to the 18th century. Associated with the Secret Black Mother tradition (Guhya Kali), Siddha Lakshmi's principal function is to repel evil, malicious spirits, and negative forces. This tradition, also practiced in Bengal, originates from the Sanskrit literature of the Jayadratha Yamala Tantra. At the base of the Nyatapola Temple are statues representing the Rajput wrestlers Jayamal and Phattu, reputed to possess the strength of ten men each. Their exact identities are not clearly indicated, but one statue on the right is referred to as "Phattu." These wrestlers also guard the Dattatreya Temple in Bhaktapur. Visitors ascend the temple via a brick stairway guarded by five pairs of sculpted deities of ascending power: first, the wrestlers Jayamal and Phattu; followed by elephants, lions, gryphons; and finally, just before the temple doors, the goddesses Baghini—the “Tigress”—and Singhini—the “Lioness.” Jaimal and Pattu are celebrated as two of the greatest wrestlers in Emperor Akbar's arsenal and royal guards of the Chittor Fort in Rajasthan. In 1567, during Akbar's siege of Chittorgarh, Maharana Udai Singh II fled to the Aravali hills with his family, leaving the fortress in the hands of 8,000 soldiers and 1,000 musketeers under the command of Jaimal and Patta. Jaimal was killed on February 22, 1568, by a musket shot fired by Akbar himself, leading to a significant morale decline among the Rajputs. Jaimal and Patta's defense efforts were so valorous that Akbar ordered the construction of their statues outside his fort in Agra to honor their bravery.
