Malla was one of the solasa (16) mahajanapadas of ancient India mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya. It was named after the ruling clan of the same name. The Mahabharata (VI.9.34) mentions the territory as the Mallarashtra (Malla state). The Malla mahajanapada was situated north of Magadha. It was a small mahajanapada. The mahajanapada was divided into two main parts and the river Kakuttha (present day Kuku) was probably the dividing line. The capital of these two parts were Kusavati or Kuśināra (modern Kasia near Gorakhpur) and Pāvā, modern Padrauna, 12 miles from Kasia).[1] Kuśināra and Pava are very important in the history of Buddhism since Buddha took his last meal and was taken ill at Pava and went to his Mahāparinirvāṇa at Kuśināra.
The Mallas were a powerful clan of eastern India[2] at the time of Gautama Buddha and they are frequently mentioned in Buddhist and Jaina works. The Mahabharata (II.30.3) mentions that the second Pandava Bhima is said to have conquered the chief of the Mallas in course of his expedition to eastern India. The Mahabharata (VI.9.46) mentions Mallas along with the Angas, Vangas, and Kalingas as eastern tribes.[2] The Mallas were republican people with their dominion consisting of nine territories (Kalpa Sutra; Nirayavali Sutra), one of each of the nine confederated clans.
The Mallas, like the Licchavis, are mentioned by Manusmriti as Vratya Kshatriyas. They are called Vasishthas (Vasetthas) in the Mahapparnibbana Suttanta. The Mallas were a brave and warlike people. Jainism and Buddhism found many followers among the Mallas. The Mallas originally had a monarchical form of government but later they switched to Gana (republic or non-monarchial) of which the members called themselves rajas. The Gana were taking decisions from their Santhagara. The Mallas appeared to have formed alliance with Lichchhavis for self defense. They however, lost their independence not long after Buddha’s death and their dominions were annexed to the Magadhan empire.
The two main towns of the Malla mahajanapada were Pāvā, where the Jain founder Mahāvīra breathed his last and Kuśināra, where Śākyamuni Buddha went to his Mahāparinirvāṇa. The Cullavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka mentions another town named Anupiya. A fourth town called Uruvelakappa is mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya[2]. The fifth town was named as "Bhoganagara"[1].
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Malla people are still found in Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagara and adjoining districts of eastern Uttarpradesh, India. They constitutes a major fraction of Sainthwar community which derives its name from Santhavara, meaning "group of Nobles". Historians such as Rahul Sankrityayan, Rajbali Pandey, Raghunath Chand Kaushik, Tripatkacharya Mahopadhyaya Bikshu Buddhamitra, K. S. Singh have conducted extensive research on kshatriya tribes during Buddha period and, hold the view that Sainthwar (Santhavara) community carries the Buddhist legacy of ancient Santhagra kshatriyas, mainly, the Malla of Kusinara.
One should not be confused with ancient Mallas with Mallas of Majhauli Raj, Deoria who traces their origin to Brahmin Mayur Bhat and Suryavanshi Princess Surajprabha. Bisva Sen was born from Mayur Bhat and Surajprabha. Bisva Sen is considered as first person of Bisen rajput clan. The 80th descendents of Bisva Sen was Hardeo Sen[3] who got the title of Malla from Delhi kings on account of his bravery in 11th century. Majhauli Malla claims that Hardeo Sen accepted the title of Malla happily as Surajprabha, mother of Bisvasen was from ancient Malla dynasty. The second theory put by Buddhist scholar and Madhuban Malla (branch of Majhauli) is that Bisva Sen was born to non-Buddhist Malla prince and Mauryan princess. However, Majhauli[4] do not find any mention in history before Akbar period.