Changu Narayan Temple

Changu Narayan is a hilltop temple to Vishnu about 12 km east of Kathmandu and a few miles north of Bhaktapur, above the Manohara River. It is counted among the oldest Hindu temples in Nepal, and a pillar inscription of the Licchavi king Manadeva, dated to 464 AD, is one of the oldest inscriptions in the country; it was first published in 1885 and has been studied by scholars ever since. The temple is part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, inscribed by UNESCO in 1979.

The main temple is a two-roofed pagoda built of layered brick on a wide plinth that helps it resist earthquakes, its struts carved with the ten incarnations of Vishnu and its four gates guarded by life-size pairs of animals. The real draw is the stone sculpture in the courtyard, much of it from the Licchavi period. Look for the kneeling Garuda, Vishnu's mount, and the 7th-century Garuda Narayan, which appears on Nepal's ten-rupee note. Other carvings include Vishwarup, the universal form of Krishna, the Vishnu Vikrant panel showing Vishnu as Trivikram, and a Narasimha, all from the 7th century, alongside a 9th-century Sridhar Vishnu and a 16th-century Vaikuntha Vishnu. The courtyard also holds shrines to Shiva, the Ashta Matrika, Chhinnamasta and Krishna.

The temple has been through difficult times. Several statues were stolen between 1975 and 2001, including the main image in 1981, and the 2015 earthquake caused heavy damage. Reconstruction with Chinese support took five years. Festivals held here include Teej, Prabodhini Ekadashi and Naag Panchami, when the courtyard fills with worshippers. The Manohara River flows past the foot of the hill.

Changu suits visitors who enjoy early sculpture and want time to study the carvings. The temple stands beside the small village of Changu, and the Changu Museum in the village displays household objects such as a rhino-skin shield and very old rice.

The simplest plan is to combine Changu Narayan with Bhaktapur, a few miles to the south, on the same day. The Nepal Tourism Board also describes it as a short hike from Nagarkot, so walkers can come down from the ridge after watching sunrise there.