Tale of the Traveling Laxmi- Narayan
This is the story of the venerable Laxmi-Narayan of Patko Tole in Patan, Kathmandu Valley.Nepali people are deeply spiritual, and their daily lives are filled with rituals that are supposed to invoke energy and inspiration. Every nook and corner of the country and the Kathmandu Valley has a little shrine, temple or place of worship, which is religiously visited by the locals.
From large to small, all Nepali temples are made up of intricately carved statues of gods and goddesses that people hold dear to their hearts. What may be spectacular work of art in some countries is of great religious and cultural significance to the Nepali people.
The two-tiered Laxmi-Narayan temple at Patko Tole in Patan is just a few blocks from the famous Durbar Square. The statue of Laxmi-Narayan, a rather unusual representation of both the gods Laxmi and Vishnu in a united form, is housed in the temple. The black stone statue, approximately 70 kg heavy is believed to be almost a 1,000 years old and depicts fine craftsmanship of the stone work of Kathmandu Valley in that era.
Also known as Vaikuntha Kamalaja, the statue represents the non-duality of the universe’s male and female principles. Demonstrating how everything is linked, including the existence of both gods. The statue is divided into two parts: the male (Vishnu) side on the right and the female (Laxmi) side on the left. Because the idol is split down the middle, it is thought to be a rare androgynous statue.
source: NTB
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