Ichangu Narayan

The shrine to Ichangu Narayan ("Vishnu of the west") is situated in delightful surroundings at the tip of a mountain ridge overlooking the Ichangu Valley about 5 km (3 mi.) north-west of Kathmandu; it is reached by a dirt road. Ichangu Narayan is one of the four principal Narayan temples in the Kathmandu Valley. The cult site was probably already in use by the Newaris long before conversion to Hinduism. The present two-tiered pagoda dates from the 18th c., replacing an earlier temple built in 1512 after a famine.

A small shrine to Bhagwati located above Ichangu Narayan offers a delightful view across the Ichangu Valley.