HIRANYA VARNA MAHAVIHAR - GOLDEN TEMPLE
The Golden Temple, the "Golden Temple", owes its name to the golden metal plates that cover its facade: it is certainly one of the most beautiful in Patan. A passage guarded by two stone lions leads to a small courtyard that gives access to the main Buddhist monastery of Patan. The three-storey pagoda, with its gold-covered roofs, is said to have been built in the 12th century and houses a large prayer wheel. Nearby is a small shrine, also covered in gold. In its present form, the shrine was founded in 1409 by King Bhaskar Varna. Before entering the shrine, please get rid of all leather objects, which are impure materials. In a small space, treasures pile up in a jumble. Buddhas and Tara line up in whole rows, griffins appear here and there and goddesses ride elephants balancing on turtles. Bronze tongues hang from the roofs to suck up prayers. Upstairs there is a small shrine whose centrepiece is a statue of Lokesvar.
The temple is extended by a network of courtyards, Baidya Baha and Michu Baha, where doctors and goldsmiths of the Sakya caste live. Here Buddhist priests have long since renounced their vows of celibacy. A special feature is that the high priest of the Golden Temple is always a young boy under the age of 12. He holds this office for 30 days before being replaced by another one. In this place it is not uncommon to see mysterious rituals.
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