Changu Narayan: A Glory in Stone
Introduction
Not many temples narrate the history of their past like The temple of
Changu Narayan does. The earliest inscriptions carved on a stone pillar,
offer a peek into the temple’s construction, it’s rituals and offerings. The
temple of Changu Narayan is built on top of a high hill to the east of
Kathmandu and north of Bhaktapur cities. This temple is the most
celebrated Vaishnava shrine in the Kathmandu valley. Its origin dates back
to the fourth century. These inscriptions, along with the temple’s
magnificent architecture and art, also tells about its patron, belongs to the
ruler of Licchavi dynasty Manadev who ruled at the end of the fifth and
early sixth century and how prosperous the dynasty was. This temple, more
than 1000 years old now, is still an active center of worship and draws a
flock of devotees every day.
The entire Kathmandu Valley, including seven sites and monuments, is
designated as a World Heritage Site Under the terms of the nomination
submitted in 1979 by the Nepalese authorities. These include the Hanuman
Dhoka Squares in Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur; Buddhist stupas in
Swayambhu and Boudhana; and Hindu temples in Pashupati and Changu
Narayan.
Location
Changu Narayan is about 7 miles east of Kathmandu. You can take a bus
from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur, then another bus to the temple. On the way
up to the temple, there's also a museum. The majority of the grounds within
the temple complex are open to the public, but only priests are permitted to
enter the main temple. Foreign visitors must pay a fee of 300 Nepalese
rupees ($2.60 USD).
History/Origin
The Garuda statue facing the west door is said to be from the fifth century,
and in front of it is the valley's oldest stone inscription, dating from AD 464,
which recounts how the king persuaded his mother not to commit sati (ritual
suicide) after his father's death. Two large pillars support a conch and a
chakra disc, both traditional Vishnu symbols.
A collection of remarkable sculptures from the age of Licchavi show Vishnu
in its different avatars are displayed around the courtyard (incarnations).
Vishnu arrives at the south-west corner of the complex like Narsingha, the
demon with her fingers, the six-armed midget who turned himself into a
huge giant capable of spanning the universe by three steps to vanquish the
King Bali. Vishnu appears in the Southwest corner of the compound (look
for his outstretched leg).
A broken sheet with a 10-headed 10-armed Vishnu is standing next to
these figures, with Ananta sitting on a serpent beneath. The plaque is
divided into three parts: the world and the celestial world. An stunning
depiction of Vishnu astride Garuda, shown on the Rs 10 currency, is
situated in the north-west corner of the complex. The squat temple in the
south-east corner has been devoted to Chhinnamasta Tántric deity, who
decapitates to feed Dakini and Varnini bloodthirsty deities. The one-story
Bhimsen Pati with its stone guards is down the steps to the east of the
temple complex.
Legends Based on the temple
The Changu Narayan temple is surrounded by two legends. Let's start with
the first.
1. In ancient times, there was a cow herder named Gwala who acquired
a cow from a Brahmin. The Gwala took the cow to Changu to graze,
and the animal was capable of producing a significant amount of milk.
Changu was once a Champak-tree-filled woodland.
That cow would only graze under one tree on any given day. The cow
produced a modest bit of milk that evening, which lasted for several
days. The Gwala couldn't do anything, so he phoned Sudarshan, the
Brahmin from whom he had purchased the cow.
When Gwala and Sudarshan took the cow to the forest to graze, they
observed her behavior. They were taken aback when they saw a
young black boy emerge from the tree and drink the cow's milk. They
decided to take down the champak tree since they thought the
youngster was a devil. Surprisingly, human blood began to flow from
the tree. Both of them became concerned, believing they had broken
the law by cutting down the tree. When they were crying, Lord Vishnu
appeared and assured them that they had done nothing wrong.
When Lord Vishnu accidently killed Sudarshan's father while hunting
in the forest, he said he had committed a grievous crime. Lord Vishnu
was then doomed to walk about on his mouth, wandering the land.
He eventually descended the slope at Changu as Garuda. Nobody
knew he was there, and he had no method of breaking free from the
curse. He ate the milk of a stolen cow to stay alive. As he was
decapitated, they released him from the sin by cutting down the tree.
Sudarshan and the Gwala began to revere the area and built a
Vishnu shrine there after hearing this. Since then, the location has
been revered as sacrosanct. Sudarshan's descendants serve as
priests in the temple.
2. According to another legend, there once was a great warrior named
Pranjal (and is said to still live today). Until Changu confronted him
and defeated him, he was thought to be the strongest person in the
country. People built a temple in his honor as a monument to him.
Area Coverage
Changu Narayan Temple is 20 kilometers east of Kathmandu and 8
kilometers north of Bhaktapur's Dudhpati. For anyone interested in
learning more about the temple's history and the Lichhavi era's King
Mandev, there is a museum nearby. The museum has a variety of
historic artifacts on display, including coins from various eras. It is
stated that if you want to see the Valley's whole cultural growth, you
must go to the Changunarayan Temple. The temple, which is one of
Kathmandu's four Narayanas, is located at a height of 1543 meters.
Telkot, Nagarkot, and Sankhu are 7 kilometers, 16 kilometers, and an
hour's walk away from this temple, respectively.
Changu Museum
On the Changu Narayan, there is also a tiny museum on the way to
the shrine. According to the museum's director, this is Nepal's first
private museum, and it houses a collection of historical coins,
equipment, crafts, and architecture.
Antique, natural, musical, political, scientific, cultural, and other oneof-a-kind items are plentiful. The museum houses a large collection of
historical instruments that were employed by the Newar estate
throughout the medieval era.
On the occasion of the millennium year 2000 A.D., Changu Narayan
VDC approved its establishment. The Nepalese entrance price is
NRS 100, while foreign tourists must pay NRS 300.
An estimated 30 to 50 tourists visit this museum each day. Tourists
and Nepali students are the primary visitors to this museum.
Dieties
On the way up to the main temple, visitors may notice an antique
stone tap that is still in use by the locals. Souvenir stores on the side
streets sell authentic wooden masks and Thangka paintings. The
majesty of Changunarayan is immediately apparent as you approach
a lovely rest house with stone sculptures of Vishnu and Laxmi at the
entryway. The grounds of the temple complex, which include a twostory pagoda-style temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu erected by King
Haridatta Barma in the 4th century.
The temple is lavishly embellished with wood and metal sculptures,
as well as colorful struts depicting Lord Vishnu's ten incarnations. A
golden gate with magnificent carvings of Vishnu, Laxmi, and Garuda
leads to the shrine. Only the temple priests get access to the Vishnu
sculpture inside the main shrine. The temple's beautiful facade is
sculpted with Hindu deities and legendary creatures. Buddhist
pilgrims also come to Changunarayan to worship Hariharihari Vahana
Lokeshvara, the primary deity.
Importance
From an artistic, religious, cultural, and historical standpoint,
Changunarayan is Kathmandu's most prominent temple. This temple
contains numerous images of Lord Vishnu dating from the 4th century
onwards. Changu narayan is the another name of the god bishnu. In
the Hindu religion, God Bishnu is the only supreme god among the
hindu deities.
Changunarayan Temple is located 18 kilometers east of Kathmandu
and close to Bhaktapur. Tourists can enjoy wonderful views of the
Kathmandu valley from the summit of the peak. If any tourists are
interested in hiking, they can hike to Nagarkot for 2-4 hours. Nagar
kot is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Kathmandu Valley. In
1979, UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site.
Art and architecture of the temple
Changu Narayan Temple is a hilltop temple surrounded by a
Champak tree forest. On the first path to the temple courtyard, we'll
come across a human village.
The Newar culture is prevalent in and around the Changu Narayan
region. With the expansion of tourism in this site, we will find a
number of medium and small hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops,
and so on.
On the way to Changunaran, there is an ancient stone tap that is said
to date back to the Lichhavi period.
The oldest temple in Nepal is Changu Narayan. In Nepali temple
architecture, it remains a landmark of beautiful embossing
workmanship. A large stone pedestal supports the roofed, two-story
temple.
According to Professor Madhan Rimal of Tribhuvan University's
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, the Changu temple is
neither Shikhara-style nor pagoda-style. It features an architectural
design that he wants to describe as typical of a Nepalese temple.
Other comparable temples can be found at Gokarna Mahadev.
The temple is filled with sculptures and arts related to Lord Vishnu.
There are more temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Ashta Matrika,
Chhinnamasta, Kileshwor, and Krishna within the major temple
courtyard.
The temple contains four entrances, each of which is guarded by lifesize pairs of animals like as tigers, sarabhas, griffins, and elephants
on either side of the entryway.
The ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, as well as other statues that
support the ceiling, are engraved into the struts. The entry key is
encrusted with Naga sculptures (snakes).
At the main entrance gate, the Chakra, Sankha, Kamal, and Khadga
are all depicted on top of a stone pillar (i.e. western entrance gate).
Sanskrit inscriptions can be seen on these stone pillars. The stone
inscription pillar was created in 464 A.D. by Licchavi (kingdom) King
Manadeva, and it is thought to be Nepal's earliest inscription.
When looking at the temple from the right side, the following
monument can be found after entering the courtyard from the main
entrance (Eastern gate):Inside the Changu Narayan Temple, there are other works of art.
 King Mandeva constructed this historical pillar around 464 AD.
 Bhupalendra Malla, King of Kantipur, and BhuwanLakshmi, his
wife, are depicted in this statue.
 Narasimha is a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who slew the
demon King Hiranyakasyapa to save his loving devotee
Prahalad in a 7th-century picture.
 Vishnu stone sculpture from the 7th century, sitting on Garuda.
Chanda Narayan (Garuda Narayan): Vishnu stone carving from
the 7th century, seated on Garuda. This sculpture is depicted
on the Nepal Rastra Bank's 10 rupee paper note.
 Vishworup: A superbly made stone sculpture from the seventh
century showing a scenario from the Bhagwat Gita in which
Lord Krishna reveals his pure identity to Arjun, his disciple.
 Kileshwor: Two-story Shiva temples that are supposed to have
sprang up to defend the mountain.
 Garuda: Lord Vishnu's flying machine, which has a human face
and worships Vishnu.
The main picture in the sanctum is called a Garuda Narayan by Hindus and
a Harihari Vahan Lokeshwara by Buddhists.
Daily Rituals
In a variety of ways, the temple has assisted us in maintaining our longstanding traditions and ceremonies. For example, its daily worships, as well
as some specific rites done on special occasions, have been going on
since the beginning of time. Apart from its usual religious and ceremonial
practices, it has continually observed some specific rites in select
exceptional events from the dawn of time. One such occasion is Asadh
Sukla Ekadasi, which falls on the eleventh day of the waxing moon of June,
and another is the Krisna Janmasstami, which falls on the eighth day of the
waning moon of August.
The Haribodhani Ekadasi, which occurs in October-November, is another.
These are some of the major events that take place here every year, and a
large number of devotees from all over the world come to participate in
them by offering homage to the Lord. This custom has been carried on for
a long time.
The temple's primary deity is brought to the Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace
in Kathmandu twice a year, in August-September and December-January,
in order to continue an age-old tradition.
The Global Heritage Committee of UNESCO placed it into the world
heritage list and named it a world heritage site in 1979, making it a
common property of all humans living on this planet.
Festivals/Important Days.
Many celebrations are held at the temple. The temple complex is actively
used every day, and many people come for festivals. The Changu Narayan
Jatra is the most important. Mahashanan, Jugadi Nawami, and Haribodhini
Ekadashi are among the other celebrations held here. Special poojas, like
as weddings, birthdays, and upanayana, are not held here. Daily aarti and
puja is conducted here in temple and on the occasions of weddings,
birthday and upanayana special puja is conducted here in the temple.
Changu Narayan Museum's Information Center
An information center is located at the entrance of Changu village. Tourists
are given tickets to enter. A tourist public restroom is available in the
center. There are also potable water services for tourists.
According to Binaya Raj Shrestha, owner of the Changu Museum and
member of the temple management committee, Changu is visited by 150
foreigners on average.
Financial resources for the temple
Tourism is not only a source of revenue, but it also aids in the recognition
of cultural heritage. For the Nepali fiscal year 2013/14, the estimated
income from tourist ticket sales and museum admissions was USD
8,882,179, with tourist ticket sales from Changu Narayan was USD
3,351,213 (PDNA,2015).
One of the statues was taken shortly after the earthquake in 2015,
prompting the Guthi and community to organize an organization to care for,
protect, and restore the monument. There were old sculptures strewn
throughout the place. There were no army personnel available at the time.
As a result, the first step was to call in the army to secure the area.
Heritages can be tangible or intangible items passed down through the
generations. It is this that gives a country its identity. As a result, it has the
right to be maintained and conserved. Changu Narayan temple is one of
Nepal's most amazing cultural treasures.
Route/Accessibility
It is, nonetheless, well worth a visit in and of itself. A short walk from the car
lot takes you through the hamlet to get there. The stunning Changunarayan
Temple Complex is perched atop the village. There are museums and
businesses to explore in the town as well. The Vishnu Temple of Changu
Narayan is considered Nepal's oldest temple.
We can easily get there even with local busses that starts from “Ratna
Park” center point in Kathmandu. At Ratna Park, all we need to do is ask
for the bus that goes to Bhaktapur. Now, we can get down either at the
point B) i.e. Bhaktapur Mini Bus Park or after 2 more stops at a bus stop
called " Tourist Bus Stop" which also appears in google map. You can also
visit the Bhaktapur Darbar" and then walk way back to the "Tourist Bus
Stop" and then to point C) Dekocha. From here, buses going to the left will
go to Changu. Just wait at the crossing. We can also hire a direct taxi/cab
that may cost a bit higher. Use this google maps for exact location of the
place and will help you reach there easily.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?msa=0&mid=1nSa0VT38doLmrmY_M2oBEnVeu4&ll=27.716509999999996%2C85.42952000
000001&z=11
Activities/Attraction
In the Valley of the Gods, where Hinduism and Buddhism collide, discover
ancient temples and myths. 13 kilometers east of Kathmandu is the
Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Bhaktapur is a living portrayal of what the
Kathmandu Valley might have looked like in the Middle Ages. The city is
known for its magnificent architecture, which includes sky-high pagodastyle temples, exquisite clay ceramics, and vast royal courtyards that date
back to the 12th century. Changu Narayan Temple is Nepal's oldest Hindu
temple, according to legend.
The main shrine, which is built in the two-tiered pagoda style, is guarded on
all sides by pairs of actual and legendary monsters — elephants, lions,
winged lions, and ram-horned griffons – and its roof struts show some
astonishingly beautiful Tantric deity carvings. Nagarkot, 32 kilometers east
of Kathmandu, is noted for its sunrise and sunset views of the Himalayas
and is one of the most attractive sites in Bhaktapur District. The temple of
Changunarayan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in the fourth
century and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is one of the earliest
sanctuaries in the Kathmandu Valley, according to a fifth-century stone
inscription. The temple is a showpiece for early-century Newari art and
architecture.
Changu's management
UNESCO has designated Changu Narayan Temple as a world heritage
site. The archaeological, geographical, and cultural significance of the
exquisite stone sculpture and ancient inscriptions cannot be overstated.
The Changu Narayan VDC has established the Changu Narayan Temple
Management Committee, which is responsible for the temple's security,
maintenance, and control.
Bhaktapur has also offered support to the Department of Archeology and
Palace Management in the temple's maintenance and upkeep.
Many local youth clubs are active in festival planning and awarenessraising activities in and around the temple grounds.
Changu Narayan Village Guide
Major ethnicity: Mostly Newar & Tamang
Major religion: Hindu & Buddhist
Province :- Bagmati (Province 3)
Language: Nepali
Altitude: 1,600 m (5,249 ft)
Location: 19 km (12 miles) East of Kathmandu
Diety:- Vishnu, Laxmi, and Garuda
Festivals :- Mahashanan, Jugadi Nawami, and Haribodhini Ekadashi
How to get there: You can either hike to Changu Narayan from
Bhaktapur or take the local bus for 20 rupees.
What to eat: Dal Baht, Samay Baji, Choila, Chura
What to see and do: Visit the Changu Narayan Temple, Changu Museum,
Living Traditions Museum, and Thangka Painting School. You can also
take a day hike to Nagarkot or Bhaktapur.
Where to stay: Guest House or Homestay