Budhanilkantha temple

Budhanilkantha Temple is located at the base of Shivapuri Hill within the Kathmandu valley on the northern side. It is also known as mystical Budhanilkantha temple or Narayanthan temple .Budhanilkantha literally means “Old Blue Throat”. It is only nine kilometer away from the main city. It is a deity of Lord Vishnu; Lord Vishnu is also known as Narayan. It is called Vishnu (Narayan) Jalasayan lying on Ananta Sesa, in the cosmic ocean. The deity is about thousand years old. The Lord Vishnu is about five meter (Seventeen fits) long and lying in a thirteen meter (forty three fits) long tank, as if floating with his legs crossed with his sleeping body resting on the coils of Ananta and his 11 hooded head. His four hands hold the four symbols of Vishnu, the Shankha as conch shell, and Chakra as disc, Gadha as club and Padma as lotus flower. It is believe that the deity was carved in the seventh or eighth century during the Licchavi period. Hindus can walk down the steps and touch his feet, but foreigners cannot walk and touch. It is with the sacredness of this particular god that a deep-seated belief was created by King' Pratap Malla through a prophetic dream. It was his strong belief and fear that should the King of Nepal visit the Budhanilkantha temple, death would be threatening immediately to fall upon his departure. The two other images of the deity which were carved during the same time lie at two particular destination, the Balaju Garden were public viewing can take place and the beautiful Royal Palace in Kathmandu. It is here at Budhanilkantha temple, however that public is not permitted.

The basic festival of the year is when Lord Vishnu who sleeps on the cosmic ocean during Chaturmasya periods wakes up on the Haribodhini Ekadashi day in late October or early November period. Many thousands of Hindu people come their day to celebrate their festival.

The deity of Budhanilkantha was last for a while and later re-discovered by a farmer. It is believe that the farmer struck the buried deity with his plough and that blood comes out from ground. The morning puja between Nine and ten am is interesting and enjoyable .The last deity of Budhanilkantha was recovered and place in its rightful position. It is common practice for the Hindus to walk down to Vishnu’s feet to touch them but it is restricted for out of Hindu visitors to do the same.