Budhanilkantha Temple

Budanilkantha Temple, located in Budhanilkantha, Nepal, (Nepali: बुढानिलकण्ठ मन्दिर; translation: Old Blue Throat) is a Hindu open air temple dedicated to Lord Mahavishnu. Budhanilkantha Temple is also known as the Narayanthan Temple for Hindus, and can be identified by a large reclining statue of Lord Mahavishnu. However, in the Buddhist community, the term "Buddhanilkantha" refers to one of the various manifestations of Avalokiteshvara. The name means "Blue-Throated Buddha." According to local legend, the statue was lost underground for centuries. Farmers were plowing a field at the current Budhanilkantha site when their plough struck stone. As they dug further, they uncovered the massive image of the reclining Vishnu submerged in the ground. Since then, the statue has been revered as a divine revelation rather than a mere archaeological artifact. Religious Significance According to Hindus Budhanilkantha has a Sanskrit origin that means 'Old Blue Throat', a title of Shiva that was given by the gods after Shiva drank poison to save the world. The statue symbolizes the god Vishnu, who is regarded as one of the 'Trimurtis', along with Brahma and Shiva. This statue is highly significant to Buddhist devotees because it features a Buddha on its forehead. They believe it represents Avalokiteshvara in the form of a reclining Naga. Many visit Buddhanilkantha, believing its water can cure illnesses and wounds. The Hindu scriptures Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata refer to Samudra manthan, which is directly related to the origin of Gosaikunda. According to legend, the spring that feeds the pond in the Budanilkantha temple is connected to Gosaikunda, causing it to have a direct connection to the water source from Shiva. This is the reason why its name is dedicated to Shiva even though the statue is dedicated to Vishnu. This temple is regarded as a sacred place for Hindus but is also venerated by Buddhists. It is considered as a sign of religious harmony that has existed in the region since ancient times. Location Budhanilkantha Temple is situated below the Shivapuri Hill at the northern end of the Kathmandu valley. It is located in Budhanilkantha municipality of Kathmandu District. Its address is Golfutar Main Rd, Budhanilkantha 44600. The Budhanilkantha Temple is about 10 kilometres from Tribhuvan International Airport and is about 9 kilometres from Thamel. Feature The main statue is carved of a single block of black basalt. The statue stands 5 meters tall (around 16.4 feet) and is positioned in the middle of a recessed pool of water, which is 13 meters (42.65 feet) long. He holds the Sudarshana Chakra, a club, a conch shell and a gem in his four hands. He is adorned with a crown engraved with multiple Kirtimukha images which can often be seen being overlapped by a silver crown. The statue is believed to be more than 1400 years old. The temple's main statue of Budhanilkantha is considered the largest stone carving in Nepal. Festivals The Budhanilkantha Temple is visited by thousands of pilgrims for Haribondhini Ekadashi Mela on the 11th day of the Hindu month of Kartika (October–November) every year. This is a special ritual to wake up Lord Vishnu from his long sleep. A big fair is also held at the temple area every year on auspicious occasions such as Ekadashis, Harishayani and Haribodhini of the Hindu lunar calendar, marking the 4-month sleeping period of Lord Vishnu. The Mysteries surrounding the temple The Legend of the Nepalese Monarchy A legend states that King Pratap Malla (1641–1674) had a prophetic vision. In the vision it was claimed that the king was cursed. If he would visit Budhanilkantha Temple, then he would die prematurely. This vision resulted in him believing that the kings of Nepal would die if they visited the Budhanilkantha Temple. Royal family members including the Nepalese monarchs after King Pratap Malla never visited the Temple in fear of the prophecy. Floating Statue It was suggested for many years that the statue floats in the pool. Indeed, limited access to scientific rigour in 1957 failed to confirm or refute the claim but a small chip of the statue did confirm it to be made of a silica-based stone with a remarkably low density, similar to lava rock. Origin of the statue Haridatta Barma was in the habit of paying a daily visit to the four Narayanas, viz., Changu, Chainju, Ichangu, and Sikhara Narayana, who in Dwapar Yuga disclosed themselves to an inspired devotee. One night Jalasayana Narayana appeared to this Raja in a dream, and said that he was the original of the four Narayanas, and that he was buried under earth and stones, washed down by the Rudramati (Dhobikhola) from the Satarudra mountain. He told him to remove the earth and stones, and uncover him, which the Raja did, but while doing so he struck the Narayana on the nose with the spade and broke it. To the present day the nose remains broken. The Raja then made a tank for the Narayana, and called him Budhanilkantha, and built a temple for him. Mirror Image Local legend describes the existence of a mirror-like image of Lord Shiva beside the statue in the water even though the statue faces upward towards the sky. The legends also claim that the mirror image is seen on annual Shiva festival held every year in August. See also List of Hindu temples in Nepal References