# Picturesque Nepal/Chapter 7

CHAPTER VII
THE TEMPLE OF CHANGU-NARAIN
The Situation of the Temple—Pilgrims to the Shrine—The Art and Architecture of the Temple—The Pilgrims' Ritual.
A march of eight miles east of Katmandu brings the traveller to a ford across the Manchra River. Above this rises a steep hill, a spur of the Mahadeo Pokri, which, scarred by a winding path of stone steps, leads to the Vishnu temple of Changu-Narain. Our camp has been pitched on the hillside just below this edifice, and late in the afternoon we find ourselves absorbing the magnificent view of the valley lying at our feet. The cultivated fields, divided into squares of various crops, look like a great patchwork coverlet in russet greens, with purple and brown townlets nestling in the folds. From this outwork of ​the higher hills almost the whole extent of the valley is visible—a great oval basin, land—locked by fine wooded mountains, above which at various points are seen the soaring peaks of the snowy range—
"Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise."
Elephant outside the southern entrance to the temple of Changu-Narain.—Page 98.
"Ave Maria, blessed be the hour,  The time, the clime, the spot where I so oft  Have felt that moment in its fullest power
 Sink o'er the earth so beautiful and soft,
 While swung the deep bell in the distant tower,
 Or the faint dying day hymn stole aloft,
 And not a breath crept through the rosy air,
 And yet the forest leaves seem'd stirr'd with prayer."
Changu-Narain is one of four small hamlets, each containing a shrine sacred to the deity Narain. This divinity is a representative of Vishnu, the Preserver, who is one of the three personal manifestations of the Spiritual Being, Brahma. These shrines are situated in different parts of the valley, and to visit all four in one day is a religious feat often performed, although it necessitates a circuit from Katmandu of 44 miles. The particular shrine at Changu is the most popular, and also the most wealthy. Kirkpatrick stated in 1793 that "the interior of this temple is only ​accessible by means of an offering of a tolah of gold to the god, although the individual thus propitiating his priests is at liberty to introduce to the interior, along with himself, as many other persons as he pleases," an easygoing regulation which might be interpreted according to the extent of the visitor's circle of acquaintances. Part of the pilgrimage consists in climbing the flight of endless steps, but the devotees, accustomed to mountaineering, toil up the steep and broken stairway easily and cheerily. Unrestricted by the regulations of the "purdah," and unoppressed by any gloomy religious observances, the women, decked with flowers and bearing trays of golden blossoms which play such an important part in their sacred ritual, gaily straggle along. By the roadside gardens are maintained, bright with cosmos, marigolds, dahlias, lilies, and chrysanthemums, from which the pilgrim may gather at will his offerings to the gods. As a little family party mounts the winding flight, chatting and laughing, suddenly a hush will fall on them—a suppressed giggle from one of the young girls— ​as she narrowly escapes treading on a special step around which every devout person carefully walks, for on it is painted the holy emblem of The Eye. The coolie carrying his load up the steep stairway suddenly "jinks" off on to the grass in order that his feet may not pollute the sacred sign. But in Nepal, unrecognized and apparently insignificant shrines and sanctified places encumber the ground—the streets are literally "paved with good intentions," for almost every other slab or stone is daubed with vermilion, and held sacred. In no country are there so many "sermons in stones" as in Nepal, and the uninitiated sightseer, with eyes aloft on carved balconies and perforated windows, is in constant danger of profaning these holy emblems with his uncompromising boots. But the inhabitants of the valley with few exceptions are liberal-minded and reasonable over matters of this kind, and when in doubt, it is not much trouble to slip off one's footgear—an act which will often permit one to step into the innermost recesses of the holiest of shrines.
Doorway to shrine of the Changu-Narain temple. (p. 98)
We paid our farewell visit to this wonderful temple by moonlight. Much of it was in deep shadow, relieved only by the flickering light ​of cherags (small earthenware lamps), but this gave it an added mystery. The brasswork faintly reflected the different illuminations, while out of the gloom glazed metallic eyes leered at us from the ever-watchful dragons guarding the portals.