Changu Narayan Temple

Changu Narayan is an ancient Hindu temple, located on a high hilltop that is also known as Changu or Dolagiri in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District, Nepal.The Manohara River flows beside the hill. The temple is considered to be one of the oldest temple in Nepal. The temple is dedicated to lord Vishnu and is held in special reverence by the Hindu people.

The temple was surrounded by champak tree forest and a small village known as Changu. A Kashmiri king is said to gave given his daughter, Champak, in marriage to the prince of Bhaktapur. The temple is considered to be named after her.

The temple has a gilded copper roof with a pinnacle. On each of the four doorways are four toranas, or exquisitely carved crest suspended over the door. In the temple courtyard are pillars on which are positioned the four divine possessions of Lord Vishnu consisting of the sankha (conch), chakra (discus), gadaa (mace) and padma (lotus). The temple complex also contains the idol of Vishnu Vishwarup considered by some to be one of the most beautiful idols ever made in Nepal.

There are several legends about the origins of the temple. One of them says that about 400 years ago, a well-known warrior in Nepal named Changu challenged and defeated Pranjal, another famous warrior. The temple was therefore built as a tribute to the victory of Changu.

Another tale tells the story of a Brahmin and a Gwala (a cow herder). They both got angry when they saw a small boy drink the milk of their cow, and rest in the shade of a champak tree every day at noon. When they took revenge and cut down the champak tree, fresh human blood came out of the tree. They believed they had committed a crime, but Lord Vishnu emerged from the tree at that moment. He told them that they beheaded him when they cut the tree and thus set him free from his sins. After hearing this, Brahmin and Gwala established a small temple in the name of Lord Vishnu in the place of the champak tree.

It is one of the best known Vishnu – Narayan is another name of Vishnu – temples in Nepal and is visited by a large number of devotees especially during Harishayani Ekadashi in the month of Ashadh and Haribodhini Ekadashi in Kartik, over the four month period when Lord Vishnu is supposed to retire to sleep. At the front of the temple is a beautiful statue of Garuda dating back to 5th century Lichchhavi period. This Garuda is unique in that it resembles a human being except that it has wings unlike other Garuda statues found elsewhere. The Garuda is the vaahan (carrier) of Lord Vishnu, and it is interesting to note that all Vishnu temples have the celestial bird seated on.