changu narayan

High atop a lush, green hill stands the humble and stunning Changu Narayan Temple. One of the oldest Hindu temples in the Kathmandu Valley, it is believed that Changu Narayan was built in the 4th century to honour the god Vishnu. Any attempt to describe my impressions of this holy, ancient place would fall short of how special it feels. Sheltered by bending, brick buildings, it is near silent, except for the chatter of myna birds and the occasional ringing of a bell— which I was told is meant to alert the gods to the presence of a devotee, wishing to offer a prayer. Curved eyes watch from figures frozen in carved wood, stone and embossed metal, the heavy scent of incense hangs in the air, and offerings of fiery red and magenta pigment mark the foreheads of gods. There is a feeling of a slow, deep pulse that beats from the soil upward, and the world you know, seems ages away.