Budhanilkantha Temple

The Budhanilkantha Temple is located in Budhanilkantha, Nepal. It is a special Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Mahavishnu. People also call it the Narayanthan Temple. You can recognize it by a very large statue of Lord Mahavishnu lying down.

In the Buddhist community, the name “Budhanilkantha” means “Blue-Throated Buddha” and refers to one of the forms of Avalokiteshvara.

According to a story passed down through generations, the statue was hidden underground for many years. Long ago, farmers were using a plough in a field near where the temple stands today. Their plough hit a stone, and when they dug, they found the huge image of Vishnu buried in the earth. Since that discovery, people have seen the statue as something very special and holy, not just an old object.

Religious Significance

The Budhanilkantha Temple is very important to many people. For Hindus, the name "Budhanilkantha" means 'Old Blue Throat', a special name for the god Shiva. The large statue in the temple shows the god Vishnu, who is one of the three main gods, called the 'Trimurtis', along with Brahma and Shiva. Buddhists also respect this temple because they see a Buddha on the statue’s forehead. They believe the statue represents Avalokiteshvara, a kind and caring figure, in the shape of a resting Naga.

People visit this temple because they believe the water there can help heal sicknesses and injuries. The temple is a special place for both Hindus and Buddhists, showing the friendly relationship between these two groups that has lasted for a very long time.

Location

The Budhanilkantha Temple is found below Shivapori Hill at the north end of the Kathmandu valley. It is in Budhanilkantha municipality in Kathmandu District. The temple’s address is Golfutar Main Rd, Budhanilkantha 44600. It is roughly 10 kilometres from Tribhuvan International Airport and about 9 kilometres from Thamel.

Feature

The main statue is made from one big piece of black basalt. It is 5 meters tall, which is about 16.4 feet, and sits in the middle of a water pool that is 13 meters long (around 42.65 feet). The statue holds special items like the Sudarshana Chakra, a club, a conch shell, and a gem in its four hands. It wears a crown with many Kirtimukha images, and often has a silver crown on top. People believe this statue is more than 1400 years old, and it is considered the largest stone carving in Nepal.

Festivals

The Budhanilkantha Temple welcomes many visitors each year during the Haribondhini Ekadashi Mela. This celebration happens on the 11th day of the Hindu month of Kartika, which falls in October or November. It is a special time to honor Lord Vishnu by waking him from his long sleep.

There is also a large fair at the temple on other important Hindu days, like Ekadashis, Harishayani, and Haribodhini. These days mark the four-month rest period of Lord Vishnu.

The Mysteries surrounding the temple

The Legend of the Nepalese Monarchy

A story tells us that King Pratap Malla, who ruled from 1641 to 1674, had a special dream. In this dream, he was told that if he or any future kings of Nepal visited the Budhanilkantha Temple, they would not live long. Because of this dream, kings and royal family members after King Pratap Malla were afraid to visit the temple.

Floating Statue

For many years, people said that the statue in the temple could float in water. In 1957, scientists tried to check this but could not prove it either way. However, a small piece of the statue showed that it was made from a special kind of stone that is very light, much like a type of rock formed from lava.

Origin of the statue

A man named Haridatta Barma often visited four special places called the four Narayanas. One night, he dreamed that a god named Jalasayana Narayana told him that he was the original god of those four places and was buried under earth and stones. The god told Haridatta Barma to dig him up. When he did, he accidentally hit the god’s nose with his tool and broke it. Even today, the nose of the statue remains broken. Haridatta Barma then built a water tank for the god, named him Budhanilkantha, and built a temple for him.

Mirror Image

Local stories say that beside the statue in the water, there is a mirror-like image of a god named Shiva. This image is said to appear during a special festival held every August, even though the statue faces upward toward the sky.