Budhanilkantha Temple
Golfutar Main Road, Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu, 44600, Nepal
History & Historical Heritage
Budhanilkantha Temple, located at the northern edge of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, is a highly revered Hindu open-air temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It features a magnificent, 5-meter (16.4 ft) long black basalt statue of reclining Lord Vishnu (Jalasayana Narayan), floating in a sacred pool of water. Sculpted from a single block of stone, it depicts Vishnu resting on the coils of the cosmic serpent Shesha (Ananta). The statue is estimated to have been carved during the Licchavi dynasty in the 7th century AD. A unique historical tradition exists: the monarchs of Nepal (believed to be reincarnations of Vishnu) were strictly forbidden from visiting or viewing the statue, as it was prophesied that doing so would result in their immediate death.
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Sacred Legend (Sthala Puranam)
"According to legend, a farmer and his wife were tilling their field when their spade struck a large stone. To their horror, blood began to flow from the ground. Upon digging further, they uncovered the magnificent, lost statue of reclining Lord Vishnu which had been buried for centuries. The statue was subsequently established at the current pool site for worship."
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Comprehensive Route Guide & Logistics
Nearest Airport
Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) - 12 km
Local Bus Routes
Available Bus Numbers: Local microbuses run regularly from Ratnapark and Ring Road in Kathmandu directly to Budhanilkantha
Railway Junctions & Connecting Trains
- Raxaul Railway Station (India-Nepal Border) - Nearest major railway connection. Take a connecting bus/taxi from Raxaul to Kathmandu, then a local vehicle to Budhanilkantha.