Changu Narayan

On a ridge north of Bhaktapur, above the Manohara river, stands the temple of Changu Narayan. It is widely regarded as the oldest temple in Nepal still in use, and it is one of the seven monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site. Many visitors say it is their favourite place in the valley: peaceful, surrounded by trees and filled with extraordinary sculpture.

A temple from the Licchavi age

The history of the site goes back at least to the Licchavi period. In front of the temple stands a stone pillar with an inscription of King Manadeva I, dated to 464 CE — the oldest dated inscription found in Nepal. It records the king's piety and his mother's devotion, and it is a treasure for historians. The present temple building was rebuilt around 1702 after an earlier structure burned down, but many of the sculptures around it are more than a thousand years old.

The sculptures

The courtyard is an open-air museum. Look for the kneeling Garuda facing the temple, believed to date from the Licchavi era, with a face said to be modelled on King Manadeva himself. Nearby is a famous relief of Vishnu Vikranta (Trivikrama), taking the three strides with which he measured the universe, and a powerful image of Vishnu as Narasimha, the man-lion, tearing apart the demon Hiranyakashipu. Another celebrated piece shows Vishnu reclining on the cosmic serpent, and there is an image of Vishnu riding Garuda, which appears on the old ten-rupee note.

The main temple is a two-roofed pagoda richly decorated with carved struts showing the multi-armed forms of deities. Its doors and windows are gilded, and the gates are guarded by pairs of stone animals.

The village

Changu village, which climbs the hill to the temple, is a traditional Newar settlement with brick houses and small shops. There is a small museum of traditional objects run by a local family, and cafés with views over the valley.

Getting there from Sanothimi

From Sanothimi or Bhaktapur, local buses and taxis run to Changu Narayan via the road north across the Manohara. A popular alternative is to walk: the hike from Bhaktapur takes about two hours, or you can walk from Changu to Nagarkot along the ridge in about four to five hours. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee at the village.