On a mountain called Changu or Dolagiri, surrounded by a forest of champak trees and a small settlement called Changu, lies an ancient Hindu temple known as Changu Narayan. Beside the Manohara River, this temple is located in the Changunarayan Municipality of the Bhaktapur District of Nepal, some 7 miles (or 12 km) east of Kathmandu and a few miles north of Bhaktapur. Hindu believers hold a high regard for the Lord Vishnu-dedicated shrine. It is regarded as the earliest temple in Nepali history and is named for Champak, the Kashmiri king’s daughter who wed the prince of Bhaktapur.

A common myth states that a cow was sent by a Brahmin named Sudarshan to a cowherd named Gwala. The cow used to graze in Changu’s Champak tree forest, where a small boy would show up daily to sip the cow’s milk. The Gwala milked the cow in the evening, but there wasn’t enough milk coming from it. The Brahmin observed the cow’s daytime activities in the jungle and agreed with the Gwala. They found a young black youngster sipping milk from a cow. The Champak tree was felled by the Brahmin and the Gwala because they believed the youngster to be the devil. They believed they had done a terrible crime because blood was coming out of the tree. After killing Sudarshan’s father while out hunting in the jungle, Lord Vishnu stated that he had been cursed to travel the world on the bird Garuda. He then descended from the tree. Vishnu had been subsisting on stolen cow’s milk while remaining unnoticed atop Changu’s hill. After hearing his account, the Brahmin and the Gwala built a shrine in the name of Lord Vishnu, which is now regarded as sacrosanct.

The main temple, the Garuda temple, the Kileshwor temple, the Chhinnamasta temple, and several lesser shrines are all part of the larger temple complex. The exquisite carvings of gods, mythical creatures, and animals on the wooden struts and walls of the temple are a representation of the Nepalese pagoda style of building.

A great example of Nepalese pagoda building, Changu Narayan was included to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1979 for its cultural and religious significance. The annual Changu Narayan Jatra festival, which is held in the first week of April and commemorates Lord Vishnu’s victory over the demon king Hiranyakashipu, draws a large number of visitors to the temple. Before approaching the temple grounds, visitors are advised to wear modest clothing and take off their shoes.

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