Changu Narayan is an ancient Hindu temple, located on a hilltop of Changu (also called Dolagiri) in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District, Nepal. The temple was built in the 4th century AD and is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Nepal. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one of three principal deities in Hinduism. The temple was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.
Location
The temple is about 7 miles (12 km) east of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, and a few miles north of Bhaktapur. The Manohara River flows beside the hill.
History
The temple was surrounded by champak tree forest and a small village known as Changu. A Kashmiri king is said to have given his daughter, Champak, in marriage to the prince of Bhaktapur. The temple is considered to be named after her. Following is detailed translated text from the book Bhasa Vamshavali.
In the region of Dolagiri (original name of the Changu Narayan hill), there was a large Champaka tree. In that place, there was a Brahmin named Sudarshan who was pure, and disciplined, but prone to anger. He owned a Kapila cow, similar to the divine Kamadhenu. With the cow's milk, he offered sacrifices to various deities. This cow would often sit under the same Champaka tree.
One day, a beautiful man emerged from the Champaka tree, drank the cow’s milk, and then disappeared back into the tree. The cow would go to this tree, and the man would drink her milk. After seven days of not receiving milk from his cow, the Brahmin grew angry, thinking, "I will not rest until I behead the one who dares drink the milk intended for sacred offerings." The Brahmin, full of anger, stealthily followed the cow and watched from a hidden spot.
When the cow reached the base of the Champaka tree, the man emerged and began drinking her milk. In a fury, the Brahmin drew his sword and struck the man's neck. At that moment, the man transformed, revealing himself to be Vishnu, who was now devoid of his head bearing conch, discus, mace, and lotus, seated on Garuda. The Brahmin, realizing what he had done, was filled with immense remorse, lamenting, "What sin have I committed in a past life to have brought this upon myself?".
As the Brahmin was about to take his own life in repentance, Lord Narayana appeared and assured him, "Do not fear, O sage. You have no reason to grieve. Instead, abandon your fears and ask for a boon." The Brahmin replied, "O Narayana, grant that the punishment for my sin of beheading you be delivered upon me by your discus."
To this, Lord Narayana explained, "Listen, O sage. Long ago, in a battle with a demon named Chandra, his dear friend, a Brahmin named Sumati, was killed by a weapon I had launched. Due to his strong devotion, his guru, Shukracharya, cursed me that in the future, my head would be severed by a descendant of Sumati. This was destined to happen by your hand."
Lord Narayana continued, "Thus, this was inevitable. Now I shall reside here as a severed head. Worship me here and offer me your prayers." With these words, Lord Narayana disappeared.
Changu Narayan Pillar
The temple houses one of the oldest pillar inscriptions in Nepal. It was made by a Lichhavi dynasty king Manadeva (r. 464 -505 AD). The inscription is written in Sanskrit. The pillar's complete inscription and inscriptions of other adjacent and nearby monuments were first transcribed and published in 1885 by Georg Buhler and Bhagawanla Indraji as "Twenty-three Inscriptions from Nepal", through the assistance of private individuals of Bombay.
Later in 1899, Sylvain Lévi was granted permission to conduct historical research in Nepal through the assistance of Bhim Shamshere, the Rana dynasty prime minister. This was done despite opposition from the temple priests, who refused to allow Lévi access to the temple compound. Although Lévi was unable to directly examine the pillar, he was provided with rubbings of the inscriptions, which he subsequently published along with the text and a corresponding translation in Le Népal. After Lévi's reading, there have been several subsequent transcriptions, including those by scholars such as Gnoli, Naraharinath, Vajracharya, Joshi, and Khanal.
Architecture
The temple has traditional Nepali architecture. Many similar features are found at Gokarna Mahadev. The temple is surrounded by sculptures and arts related to Lord Vishnu. Also, we can find the temples of Lord Shiva, Ashta Matrika, Chhinnamasta, Kileshwor and Krishna inside the courtyard of the main temple. There are four entrances to the temple and these gates are guarded by life-size pairs of animals such as lions, mythic sarabhas, griffins and elephants on each side of the entrances. The ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu and the other idols are carved in the struts, which support the roof. The entrance door is gilded with carvings of Naga (legendary half-serpent, half-human creature in Hinduism). On the main entrance gate (i.e. western entrance gate), we can find the Chakra, Sankha, Kamal, and Khadga all at the top of a stone pillar.
The following monument is located while visiting the temple from the right side after entering from the main entrance (Eastern gate) to the courtyard:
- Historical pillar erected by Mandeva in 464 AD.
- Garuda: flying vehicle of Lord Vishnu which has got a human face and is a devotee of Vishnu.
- Chanda Narayan (Garuda Narayan): 7th-century stone sculpture of Vishnu riding on Garuda. This sculpture has been depicted in the 10 rupee banknote issued by Nepal Rastra Bank
- Sridhar Vishnu: 9th-century stone sculpture of Vishnu, Laxmi, and Garuda which stands on the pedestals of various motifs.
- Vaikuntha Vishnu: 16th-century sculpture of Vishnu seated on the Lalitasan position on the six armed Garuda and Laxmi seated on the lap of Vishnu
- Chhinnamasta: temple dedicated to Chhinnamasta Devi, who beheaded herself, offered her own blood to feed the hungry Dakini and Varnini.
- Vishwarup: 7th-century stone sculpture- beautifully carved that depicts the scene from the Bhagwat Gita, in which Lord Krishna manifests his universal form to his devotee Arjun.
- Vishnu Vikrant: 7th-century sculpture of Trivikram Vishnu that depicts the scene of popular Hindu myth of Lord Vishnu and his beloved Bali Raja.
- Narasimha: 7th-century sculpture of Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, killing the demon King Hiranyakasyapa to save his beloved devotee Prahalad.
- Kileshwor: small two-storied temples of Lord Shiva, who is believed to have appeared in this place for the protection of the hill.
The main image in the sanctum is worshiped by Hindus as a Garuda Narayan, and by Buddhists as a Hariharihari Vahan Lokeshwara. Only the priest is allowed to see the idol.
Structure
The Changu Narayan temple follows a traditional pagoda-style roof design with two levels, each with symmetrical pitched roofs. The roof structure is supported by small rafters arranged in a radial pattern from the center of the inner masonry cell. The dead load of the roof is transferred through rafters to the purlins and then to the wall plates, which originate from the core of the building. Inclined timber struts further help distribute the load from the purlins to the walls. Notably, the connections between the struts, purlins, and the main masonry walls are not rigid, allowing for some flexibility in the roof structure.
The foundation is designed with a wide plinth platform, functioning like a mat foundation, which helps to distribute the load and mitigate risks associated with soft soils, particularly during earthquakes. The plinth is about four feet high and provides a massive base for the structure, enhancing its stability. This design, coupled with stepped footings for the main wall, ensures that the temple is well-supported and resilient against seismic activity, which is crucial for its long-term durability in an earthquake-prone region.
The temple's masonry walls are constructed in a box configuration, featuring two cores. The outer core extends up to the second floor, providing structural integrity. These walls are built using a layered system: the inner face is made of sun-dried bricks, while the outer face is composed of fired clay bricks, which are smooth-finished for aesthetic and protective purposes. The mortar used in bonding the bricks is an essential element for the temple's strength and stability. While the mortar is often not visible, it plays a key role, and can consist of yellow clay, mud, or lime-surkhi mortar, depending on available materials.
UNESCO Word heritage designation
The temple was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979 along with 6 other monument zones in the Kathmandu Valley, including Pashupatinath another temple complex, the urban centers of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur and the Buddhist sites Swayambunath and Bauddhanath.
Idol theft
- In 1975 a statue of Krishna was stolen.
- In 1977 a statue of Kileswor Mahadev was stolen.
- In 1980 a statue of Surya was stolen.
- In 1981 the main statue of the temple was stolen.
- In September 2001, three idols were stolen from the temple, including that of Bhupalendra Malla. King Bhupalendra Malla had build two statues of himself and his wife Bhuvan Laxmi. The idols were erected 297 years ago in the main gate of the temple. The metal statue with the gold plate was 19 inches high and weighed 50 kg.
Changu Museum
The Changu Museum showcases a collection of items such as a rhino-skin shield, a raincoat made from leaves, a 500-year-old dish rack, and rice that is over 225 years old. It also displays natural curiosities, including a cow's gallstone and the navel of a musk deer.
Damage and renovation
- The 2015 earthquake destroyed the temple. A support from Chinese team was used to reconstruct the temple. The reconstruction was completed in five years. The destruction led UNESCO to consider adding the Kathmandu valley to the endangered heritage list.