The complex consists of a stupa and various shrines and temples. Some date back to the Licchavi period, while others are more recent additions. The stupa has Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on it, with the number one (in Devanagari script) painted in between them like a nose. In addition to shops, restaurants, and hostels near the temple, there are two ways to access it. The first is a long staircase that leads directly to the central platform of the temple from atop the hill east of it. Or you can take the car road around the mountain south its southwest entrance. Upon reaching the stairway's top, visitors look at Vajra.
The temple is also home to a large number of other buddha statues, and it is said that there are more than 5,000 buddha statues inside the temple complex. The temple is also said to be home to many birds, which are believed to bring good luck to those who visit it.
The temple's main attraction is the two buddha statues inside the main shrine. These statues are said to be made of solid gold, and they are considered to be extremely valuable. It is also said that the temple was built to protect these statues from theft.
Mythology
Swayambhu Purana suggests that the valley originated from an enormous lake that once grew a lotus. Swayambhu comes from this self-existent flame over which a sūpa was later constructed.
The monkeys that live in the northwest parts of the temple are holy because they were blessed by Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom and learning. He raised the hill on which the stupa stands, and it is said that his long hair attracted head lice, which transformed into these monkeys.
After having a vision of the Lotus at Swayambhu, Manjusri decided to travel there and worship it. He thought the valley could be suitable for settlement and make the site more accessible to human pilgrims. To do this, he cut a gorge at Chovar, which drained out all of the water from the lake over time. The Lotus was then transformed into just a hill, with the flower becoming a stupa.
History
Swayambhunath Temple is one of Kathmandu's most popular tourist destinations. The temple is situated on a hilltop and offers stunning city views. The temple is also home to a large number of buddha statues, and it is said that the temple was built over 2,000 years ago. Let's take a brief look at the history of this fascinating place.
Swayambhu is one of Nepal's most ancient religious sites, with some historians estimating it was founded in 640 CE by King Vrsadeva. The great-grandfather of King Mānadeva, this seems to be confirmed by a stone inscription discovered at the site, which details work done under his rule.
Emperor Ashoka visited the site in the third century BCE and, according to some accounts, constructed a temple on the hill. Sadly, this structure was later destroyed.
The temple is significant to both Buddhist and Hindu members of the faith. Many significant Hindus have journeyed to the site, such as Pratap Malla, king of Kathmandu in the 17th century, who built the Eastern stairway.
In May 2010, the stupa underwent its first major renovation in nearly 1,500 years, and it's 15th since being built. The Swayambhu Shrine was re-gilded using 20 kg of gold; the project entailed a complete renovation funded by the Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center of California work began in June 2008.
The Pratapur Temple was struck by lightning at around 5 am on February 14th, 2011, during an unanticipated thunderstorm. The Swayambunath complex was also damaged during the Nepal earthquake in April 2015.
Architecture
The stupa has a dome foundation with a cube structure on top of it. The cube is painted with the eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions. There are pentagonal Toranas present above each side of the cube, with reliefs of Buddha on them. Behind and above the Toranas, there are thirteen tiers, and finally, the Gajur is at the very top.
Five gilt Buddha shrines, each containing a Buddha statue, sit at the stupa's base. Five Tara shrines can also be found here, but only four contain a Tara statue; Vajradhatishori Tara's or White Tara shrine is empty.