nomadsally: BHAKTAPUR II

ENTERING NARAYAN TEMPLE FOR PRAYER

Narayan Temple Prayers in Bakhtapur

A beautiful spiritual experience. We were surprised to find the Narayan Temple through a narrow non descript doorway near our Taumadhi Square. It was hidden away behind several buildings.

In spite of the fact that the temple is hidden in an untidy courtyard, it is an important place of pilgrimage and one of the oldest temples in the city. An inscription states that the site has been in use since 1080. It is dedicated to Narayan, a manifestation of Shiva. Sitting on a high pedestal in front of the small temple is a statue of Garuda, a vehicle of Shiva.

We were impressed to observe a temple worship service which included men and women of the community. About 5:30 the Hindu priest began speaking to older people of the community who were seated on grass matts on the ground in front of him. We were told that the priest was sharing stories from Hindu, Buddhist, and human morality. I noted that there were many older men who were wearing the traditional topi hat and women dressed in the traditional Bhaktapuri black sari with red borders.

The next morning we attended the 6:30 am ceremony of worship there. The older members of the community shared the traditions of honoring the sacred posts and the deity inside the temple. The long ringing of the bell near the termination of the service indicated the time for the priest to sprinkle holy water, as a blessing, over all who attended.

To see the residents be actively participating in the religious experience was meaningful to me. So often I see empty religious structures that seem so far from the lives of the community!