Swayambhu

Swayambhu is one of the holiest pilgrimage centre in the Kathmandu valley equally venerable for the Buddhists as well as the Hindus. It is a great centre of reverence not only to the people of Nepal, India, Bhutan, china but also to all the peace loving people of the world

The Swayambhu hill is called as “Padmagiri” and "Vajrakuta" in ancient epigraphic sources. It is also called “Gopucchha” and ”Gosringa” hill because it looks like a tail or horn of a cow when one observes it from the Chobhar hill. Beautiful view of this Swayambhu hill can be observed from almost all parts of Kathmandu valley and the entire Kathmandu valley can be seen from the eastern side of the Swayambhu hilltop. Therefore, tourists love to observe the Kathmandu valley from this vantage point. The cultural as well as the natural heritages of this hill are very important and valuable. It is situated in the west of Kathmandu city.


Swayambhu Mahachaitya


.The site is most graceful. The greenery of age old botanical species which grow on this hill and it has been the habitat of the monkeys through the ages.

The story of Swayambhu is closely associated with the origin of Kathmandu valley. According to the Swayambhupurana, the valley in the beginning was a big and beautiful lake known as “Kalidaha”. The legend further explains that the Vipaswi Buddha came here and sowed a lotus seed in this beautiful lake which grew up and bloomed with thousand petals. On that very flower a dark-blue flame emanated and it is known as Swayambhujoti which can be translated as self-originated flame. Having heard about this strange incident, pilgrims began to visit this lake to pay homage to this auspicious flame. Among the pilgrims Mahamanjushree from Mahachina came with his two spouses Varada and Mokshyada. After paying homage to the Swayambhujoti, he planned to drain the water out from the lake. Finally by cutting out the narrow slit in the hill at Chobhar with the help of his spouses Varada and Mokshyada, he drained the water of the lake and dried out lake was converted into a valley suitable for human settlement. Accordingly, a stupa was erected in the place where the Swayambhu joti had emerged. That very stupa has been known as the Swayambhu Mahachaitya.

There is a lack of proper historical and archaeological evidence to prove the legend based statement mentioned above. Although, the historical city of the origin of Swayambhu is not supported by proper evidences but the lacustrine origin of the valley is confirmed by the geological studies.


It is difficult to determine that when exactly the lake was dried up and human settlement in the valley began. Even so, on the basis of the stories highlighted by the puranas and local chronicles, it can be assumed that human occupation in the valley might have started during the first millennium B.C. According to the legend related to the Swayambhu stupa, its history can be linked with the history of human settlement in the valley. However, authentic evidences as to the historical city of the stupa have been found only from the Licchavi period of Nepali history. The Licchavi inscriptions, stone sculptures and stone monoliths of miniature stupa are the earliest historical and archaeological evidences scattered around. On the basic of such evidences most of the scholars of Nepalese history believe that the earliest phase of the construction of the Swayambhu stupa had occurred around the beginning of the 5th century and the credit of this noble work goes to the Licchavi king Vrisadeva.

The holy area of the Swayambhu hill is almost fenced with the newly constructed wall cum prayer wheels or the “Mani wall” around the foot of the hill. Stone paved stair-ways from east and west side of the hill lead to the top platform where the majestic Swayambhu stupa stands. The stair-way of eastern side is the traditional pilgrimage route to the stupa.


Lichhavi Sculpture




A metallic road leads up to the car park situated on the western side of the hill. A stone paved stairway from this park leads to the Vasubandhu stupa from where it branches off towards northern and southern top of the hill.

It is not clear that who and when had laid the foundation stone of this stupa. But it is regarded as one of the oldest monuments in the Kathmandu valley and believed that at the beginning it was in the form of simple mud mound like the so called Ashokan stupas of patan in the valley.

The Gopalrajvamsavali, a welknown Nepalese chronicle mentions that king Vrisadeva, the great grand father of Licchavi king Mananeva 1st, of 5th century had “constructed the chaityabhattaraka in Sinagum Vihara (Swayambhu)”. With this reference most of the scholars have credited to king Vrisadeva as the founder of this stupa.


A Licchavi Chaitya

Though, some scholars believe that monk Shantarakshita of 8th century, was the founder of this stupa but later Buddhist literary works credited to monk Shantikaracharya for the construction of the stupa in this present shape and size. According to the story, King Pracahnda Deva of Gauda (At present in west Bengal) converted himself as a monk and became famous with his new name Shantikaracharya. He is not only founded the great Swayambhu stupa but also erected five shrines for its protection which are popularly known as Agnipura, Nagapura, Vayupur, Vasupura and Shantipura and used Shantipura as his abode.



Thus, it is difficult to say exactly who and when had founded this stupa but certain repairs and perhaps enlargements of this Swayambhu Stupa must had been carried out in Licchavi time. The first authentic historical evidence of such restoration occurred in 1129 AD recorded in an inscription adjacent to the Stupa. This stupa suffered with many natural calamities and human vandalism in course of its long history. One of the severe acts of vandalism was Muslim invasion in the valley in 1349 A.D. during this invasion the army of Sultan Sams-ud-din has looted, destroyed and burnt innumerable monuments of the Kathmandu valley including this Swayambhu Mahachaitya. After twenty-three years of this incident a nobleman Rajharsh Bhallok of Kathmandu city renovated this Stupa in 1372 A.D.


Vasubandu Chaitya

During the time of King Jyaysthiti Malla and his son Jotir Malla, the stupa was renovated again. The most frequent repairs in this Stupa is either the replacement of the central wooden shaft called the 'Yasti' or the repair of the finial. During the time of King Laxminarasimha Malla the central wooden shaft was replaced by Shyamarpa Lama of Tibet. In 1751 A.D. another notable renovation work was carried out in this Stupa. King Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha had also contributed donation, which is mentioned in an inscription found in this area



There is no mention about the damages caused by the earthquake of 1834 AD in this stupa. The severe earthquake of 1934 could not damage this Swayambhu Stupa but some other monuments of this site were affected. In 1961, several renovation works were carried out in the area. In 1977, severe landslide in the eastern side occurred in this hill which now has been stabilized.

The outstanding cultural and architectural value of this Swayambhu Stupa and surrounding monuments has been recognized by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO and inscribed it in the world Heritage List in 1979. Therefore, this stupa now has become a pride of mankind of the World and the Government of Nepal is paying its special attention in conserving the monuments and in protecting the historical and cultural environment of this site. For the proper and systematic conversation, this site has been declared a Protected Monument Zone and a master plan has been envisaged and is being executed by the Department of Archaeology.

Thus, the age-old cultural traditions and monumental remains of Swayambhunath hill are not only the achievement of any individual or group of people of any particular time but a collection of contributions made by several scholars, kings, devotees and donors in different times since more than two thousand years.