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Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu District, Bagmati · 27.7781°, 85.3622°
An open-air shrine north of Kathmandu whose five-metre black basalt Vishnu lies on a coiled serpent in a 13-metre recessed pool. The image is over 1,400 years old, is venerated by Buddhists as well as Hindus, and is protected under Nepal's ancient monuments act.
What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.
The stone is said to have been struck by a farmer's plough and unearthed by chance; King Pratap Malla's vision that a monarch who looked on it would die early has kept Nepal's kings away ever since.
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-28 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Undetermined
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