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Punam Phuyal
Summary: Changu Narayan is the holy shrine located in the Bhaktapur district, Kathmandu Valley, Bagmati province, Nepal. It is the oldest temple of the country dedicated to Narayan (Vishnu). The main temple is surrounded by remarkable stone statues and sculptures of various incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Hindu worship the main god as Garuda Narayan, whereas Buddhist worship Avalokiteshvara. This article is a complete piece of information on one of the important UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Kathmandu Valley. It will be helpful for planning a tour and gathering knowledge for tourist guides, explorers, students, and researchers.
The history of Changu Narayan dates back to the 4th century. There are different mythological stories related to the establishment of this temple.
There was a Doladhika hill in this site with Champak trees. A small forest on a hill was a resting place of a farmer who used the route to carry milk to sell from Bishankhu to Bhaktapur. He used to keep his milkpot on the Champak tree and go for a freshening up. After returning to carry the pot, he found less milk or sometimes an empty pot. The incident repeated several times, and he cut the tree to calm down his anger. He noticed blood flowing from the wound of the tree and said, "I'm Narayan," in his dream. He was also told to establish a Narayan statue in the same place. Then he followed his dream and made a temple of Vishnu on the base of the Champak tree, and it became an important place to worship deities.
When King Hari Datta Varma became the king, he made four Narayan temples: Changu Narayan, Ichangu Narayan, Bisankhu Narayan, and Sesh Narayan in four directions in 325 AD. The name of the temple as an important spiritual center was mentioned on the oldest inscription of the valley, which dates back to 464 AD. Other subjects like math and Shivalaya were made after the foundation of Changu Narayan.
Similarly, another mythological story explains that this site was made by King Mandev to get liberation from killing his own father. This statement with 72 lines was also found in an inscription, which also mentions that he did not let his mother be a chaste woman by preventing her from being burned with his dead father.
Also, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla and Queen Bhuwan Laxmi saluting Garud Narayan relates their contribution to the development of the temple.
The temple is named Changu Narayan because it has been built on the base of the Champak tree. The tree name gives the Changu, and the statue of Vishnu gives the name Narayan.
Changu Narayan is two roofed Nepali-style temples built in the late medieval period. It is built in a batasi pattern, a special design that prevent flow of air. There is a yantra in the center, which is more famous among the Vaishnava sect, who take the side of the most revered temple in their religion. The wooden strut supporting the roof is well designated by the stories of Mahabharat. The tympanum is decorated with 14 realms. The lower roof is made up of tiles and marked by small bells that rang with the strong wind. The statue of the strongest animal, Sardhul, has been established as the guard.
The incomplete statue of an elephant in the temple corridor had a different story. It is believed that the sole of the elephant entered while making the statue, and bleeding occurred from its body; thus, the artist left it without completing the structure.
The temple built in the 4th century was destroyed by earthquake and fire many times. The present structure was built in 1702 AD to repair fire damage. The useable ornaments have been reused to give it its original appearance. Similarly, we can see several structures in the courtyard from the Licchavi period.
We can see amazing wooden carvings and statues reflecting both Hinduism and Buddhism, making it the most representative building for the art of the Kathmandu Valley.
We can reach Changu Narayan Temple by driving from Bhaktapur. If we are in Kathmandu, then we can get a public bus to Changunarayan or hire a private car to reach nearby the temple.
The possible route to reach Changu:
Garuda
Garuda is a god-bird known to be a removal of obstacles. He is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu, who carries him in the skies on his back. It is one of the oldest statues of the temple, built in the 7th-8th century.
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