Patan - Krishna Mandir

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the first and second floors. The unusual floral decoration of the arcade echoes the Islamic architecture of northern India, as indeed does the temple as a whole. It was probably modeled on the Krishna Temple at Mathura.

Prior to consecration of the temple Krishna is said to have appeared to the King in a dream, instructing him to install an old religious symbol rather than a new one. But the only statue of the god the King could find was missing its left toe, a blemish which led him to commission a new image after all. Krishna then appeared a second time, telling the King that the missing toe was a real injury inflicted by a huntsman. So the damaged statue was duly installed. During the ceremony King Pratapa Malla and his guru arrived from Kathmandu disguised as snakes, intent on sabotaging the proceedings. They were recognized by King Siddhi Narasimha's own guru, Vishvanatha Upadhyaya, who used his magic powers to trap the snakes under his seat until the ceremony was completed. The grateful King conferred on Vishvanatha Upadhyaya the hereditary office of priest at the Krishna Temple.

A priest still lives there today, on the first floor. Sadly, smoke and steam have not only discolored the stonework but damaged it too.