Changu Narayan Temple

Changu Narayan Temple
Changu Narayan Temple
𑐔𑐵𑐒𑑂𑐐𑐸𑐣𑐵𑐬𑐵𑐫𑐞 𑐡𑐾𑐐𑑅 (Newar); चाँगुनारायण मन्दिर (Nepali);
	location in Kathmandu
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Bhaktapur
Province	Bagmati
Deity	Vishnu
Festivals	Teej, Prabodhini Ekadashi, Naag Panchami
Location
Location	Changunarayan
Country	Nepal
Coordinates	27°42′58.6″N 85°25′40.4″E / 27.716278°N 85.427889°E
Architecture
Type	Pagoda
Creator	Haridatta Barma
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: (iii)(iv)(vi)
Designated	1979 (3rd session)
Part of	Kathmandu Valley
Reference no.	121bis-007
Protected Ancient Monument
Law	Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 2013 (1956)

Changu Narayan is a Hindu temple 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. It is dedicated to the Hindu deityVishnu. The temple was made 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.

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".

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.

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.

Gallery

Manadevas Pillar

References

1 2 3 4 Suwal, Rajan; Joshi, Pukar (2021), Structural Vulnerability of Changu Narayan Temple, 17th World Conference in Earthquake Engineering, Sendai, Japan (PDF), retrieved 2024-11-08
1 2 Gensheimer, Thomas R.; Guichard, Celeste Lovette (2017-09-08). World Heritage and National Registers: Stewardship in Perspective. Routledge. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-351-47100-8.
↑ ntb.gov.np
1 2 3 Riccardi, Theodore (1989), "The Inscription of King Mānadeva at Changu Narayan", Journal of the American Oriental Society, 109 (4): 611–620, doi:10.2307/604086, ISSN 0003-0279, JSTOR 604086, retrieved 2024-11-08
↑ Singh, Rishi (2006-01-04), "Knowing our heritage better", The Himalayan Times, retrieved 2024-11-08
↑ Georg Buhler and Bhagawanla Indraji, "Twenty-three Inscriptions from Nepal". Bombay: Education Society's Press, 1885, pgs. 1-57.
1 2 3 4 5 "Gods are missing- Nepali Times". Retrieved 2024-11-08.
↑ "Changu Museum | Around the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
↑ "Protecting Nepal's cultural heritage for continuation of world civilization". GorakhaPatra. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
↑ "UNESCO weighs whether to put Kathmandu in endangered heritage list". Retrieved 2024-11-08.

External links

[suwal2021-1] 1 2 3 4 Suwal, Rajan; Joshi, Pukar (2021), Structural Vulnerability of Changu Narayan Temple, 17th World Conference in Earthquake Engineering, Sendai, Japan (PDF), retrieved 2024-11-08

[:0-2] 1 2 Gensheimer, Thomas R.; Guichard, Celeste Lovette (2017-09-08). World Heritage and National Registers: Stewardship in Perspective. Routledge. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-351-47100-8.

[3] ntb.gov.np

[ricca01-4] 1 2 3 Riccardi, Theodore (1989), "The Inscription of King Mānadeva at Changu Narayan", Journal of the American Oriental Society, 109 (4): 611–620, doi:10.2307/604086, ISSN 0003-0279, JSTOR 604086, retrieved 2024-11-08

[5] Singh, Rishi (2006-01-04), "Knowing our heritage better", The Himalayan Times, retrieved 2024-11-08

[6] Georg Buhler and Bhagawanla Indraji, "Twenty-three Inscriptions from Nepal". Bombay: Education Society's Press, 1885, pgs. 1-57.

[nt2001-7] 1 2 3 4 5 "Gods are missing- Nepali Times". Retrieved 2024-11-08.

[8] "Changu Museum | Around the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2024-11-08.

[9] "Protecting Nepal's cultural heritage for continuation of world civilization". GorakhaPatra. Retrieved 2024-11-08.

[10] "UNESCO weighs whether to put Kathmandu in endangered heritage list". Retrieved 2024-11-08.

v t e Hindu temples in Nepal
Notable temples	Bhaleshwor Mahadev Budha Subba Temple Budhanilkantha Temple Chandannath Temple Chandeshwari Temple Changu Narayan Temple Chhinnamasta Temple Dakneshwori Temple Dakshinkali Temple Dantakali Temple Dhaneshwor Temple Dhuleshwor Doleshwor Mahadeva Temple Dungeshwor Temple Gadhimai Temple Ganeshthan Temple Janaki Mandir Kageshwori Kaliaka Bhagawati Temple Kasthamandap Kamadhenu Mandir Kankalini Temple Kumbheshwar Temple Kushmanda Sarowar Triveni Dham Maula Kalika Manakamana Temple Nateshwori Temple Bajura Padukasthan Pashupatinath Temple Rajdevi Temple (Gaur) Rajdevi Temple Shambhunath Temple Siddha Baba Temple Siddhikali Temple Shashwat Dham Shobha Bhagawati Sheshnarayan Temple Swargadwari Tal Barahi Temple Nateshwori Temple
Shakta pithas	Ankuri Mahadev Badimalika Temple Bageshwori Temple Baglamukhi Temple Bhadrakali Temple Bhadrakali Temple Bhagwati Temple Bhutandevi Mandir Guhyeshwari Temple Kalinchowk Bhagwati Shrine Maitidevi Temple Muktinath Palanchok Bhagawati Temple Pathibhara Devi Temple Bajrayogini Temple
Ganesh temples	Ashok Binayak Temple Jal Binayak Temple Surya Binayak Temple

v t e World Heritage Sites in Nepal
Cultural	Swayambhunath Bhaktapur Durbar Square Boudhanath Stupa Changu Narayan Temple Kathmandu Durbar Square Pashupatinath Temple Patan Durbar Square Lumbini
Natural	Chitwan National Park Sagarmatha National Park
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