Changu Narayan Temple

Introducing Changu Narayan Temple

The beautiful and historic temple of Changu Narayan (admission Rs 60; dawn-dusk) stands on a hilltop at the eastern end of the valley, about 6km north of Bhaktapur and 22km from Kathmandu. It dates from 1702, when it was rebuilt after a fire, however its origins go back to the 4th century and many of the stone sculptures date from the Licchavi period (4th to 9th centuries). The temple is a Unesco World Heritage site.

Despite the temple's beauty, its easy access from Bhaktapur and the proximity of some fine walks nearby, it attracts relatively few visitors.

The one street of Changu Village leads up from the car park past a central path (pilgrim shelter), water tank and Ganesh shrine, before ascending past thangka and wooden mask shops to the temple entrance.

The double-roofed temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan and is exceptionally beautiful, with quite amazingly intricate roof struts depicting multi-armed Tantric deities. It is fronted on the west side by a kneeling figure of Garuda said to date from the 5th century. The man-bird mount of Vishnu has a snake around his neck and kneels with hands in the namaste position facing the temple. Stone lions guard the wonderfully gilded door, which is flanked by equally detailed gilded windows. Two pillars at the front corners carry a conch and disc, the traditional symbols of Vishnu. Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple itself, which is normally shut anyway.

The temple's true gems are the wonderful, much older sculptures dotted around the courtyard. In the southwest corner are several notable images, including one of Vishnu as Narsingha, his man-lion incarnation, disembowelling a demon. Another, to the left, shows him as Vikrantha/Vamana, the six-armed dwarf who transformed into a giant capable of crossing the universe in three steps during his defeat of King Bali. He is in a characteristic 'action pose', with his leg raised high. To the side of these images is a small black slab showing a 10-headed and 10-armed Vishnu, with Ananta reclining on a serpent below. The scenes are divided into three sections - the underworld, the world of man and the heavens. The beautifully carved image is around 1500 years old.

In the northwestern corner there is a 7th-century image of Vishnu astride the Garuda, which is illustrated on the Rs 10 banknote. In front of the Garuda figure that faces the front of the temple is the oldest stone inscription in the valley, dating from 464 AD. The inscription is in Sanskrit and tells how the king persuaded his mother not to commit sati (ritual suicide) after his father's death.

Also interesting are the statues of King Bhupatindra Malla and his queen, kneeling in a gilded cage in front of the temple. In the centre of the courtyard, triangular bricks are used, while out towards the edge there are older, rounded-corner bricks.

Just outside the temple complex is the Bhimsen Pati, with its stone guardians; the remains of the Balamphu royal residence on the north side; and a small open-air collection of sculptures to the south, behind the Changhu Peaceful Cottage.

Back in Changu is the Changu Museum (admission Rs 140; 7am-6pm), which gives a funky introduction to traditional valley life, exhibited in a 160-year-old house. Look for the rhino-skin shield, the 2nd-century leather coins, Tantric astrology books and 225-year-old rice! It's worth a visit, though the recent 300% ticket hike is a bit cheeky.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009