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The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
They are known, variously, as sadhus (saints, or 'good ones'), yogis (ascetic practitioners), fakirs (ascetic seeker after the Truth) and sannyasins (wandering mendicants and ascetics). They are the ascetic – and often eccentric – practitioners of an austere form of Hinduism. Sworn to cast off earthly desires, some choose to live as anchorites in the wilderness. Others are of a less retiring disposition, especially in the towns and temples of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> If the Vale of Kathmandu seems to boast more than its share of sadhus and yogis, this is because of the number and importance of Hindu temples in the region. The most important temple of Vishnu in the valley is Changunarayan, and here the visitor will find many Vaishnavite ascetics. Likewise, the most important temple for followers of Shiva is the temple at Pashupatinath. Vishnu, also known as Narayan, can be identified by his four arms holding a sanka (sea shell), a chakra (round weapon), a gada (stick-like weapon) and a padma (lotus flower). The best-known incarnation of Vishnu is Krishna, and his animal is the mythical Garuda.<br/><br/> Shiva is often represented by the lingam, or phallus, as a symbol of his creative side. His animal is the bull, Nandi, and his weapon is the trisul, or trident. According to Hindu mythology Shiva is supposed to live in the Himalayas and wears a garland of snakes. He is also said to smoke a lot of bhang, or hashish.
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).
The Vishnu figure of Budhanilkantha is a 4.5 metre long, intricately carved figure depicting Vishnu sleeping on the ground of the cosmic ocean, on a 'bed' of intertwining snake bodies, which are all part of the eleven-headed giant snake Ananta, 'The Endless One'.<br/><br/> The figure probably originated in the 7th century and is hewn out of a single piece of rock. According to legend, Budhanilkantha was discovered by a farmer while ploughing his field; the plough snagged on the figure, which was buried underground, and, to the farmer’s great surprise, the figure began to bleed. Budha means 'mud' and Nila-kantha is 'Blue Throat'; Budhanilkantha is regarded as a manifestation of Vishnu (not to be confused with a better known incarnation of Vishnu as Nilakantha).