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BY: SUN STAFF
"The Centre of Patan (Nepal) with the Temple of Krishna" Mar 09, 2013 — CANADA (SUN) — The Yadava dynasty's presence in Nepal, and the events that preceded and followed.
Today we continue our presentation of the watercolors of Henry Ambrose Oldfield, who captured the beauty of Nepal's temple architecture in the mid 1850's. Following are a number of his paintings of Vaisnava and Buddhist temples and shrines.
Written on the back of the painting above is an inscription by Oldfield: "(Temple of Vishnu. Patan')". The Krishna temples shown above and below are two different temples. While the cupolas and spires are somewhat similar, Oldfield's paintings clearly show that one temple is built on a square or rectangular plan, while the other is apparently an octagonal plan.
"The Centre of Patan (Nepal) with the Temple of Krishna" The Krishna Mandir Temple, on the left in this image, was built in 1637 by Siddhi Narasingh Malla, who is said to have dreamt that Krishna and Radha appeared in front of his palace, so he erected a temple on that spot. The interior is decorated with small sculpted scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. This temple is in the southwest part of Darbar Square, beside the main road to Sundhara. 
"Narayn-Chok, Bhatgaon" This painting of the Changu Narayan Temple complex at Bhaktapur (Bhatgaon) is inscribed on the verso by Oldfield: 'Narayn-Chok, Bhatgaon'. As described by the British Library, "Bhaktapur was founded in the 9th century and rose to prominence under the Malla dynasty. It remained a valley kingdom until the late 15th century when it became a sovereign state, together with Kathmandu and Patan. All three have similar architecture and were built around Durbar Squares containing Palace and Temple complexes. The Changu Narayan temple is the oldest site in the valley which is dedicated to Shiva. The pillar in front of the temple is topped by a statue of Garuda, Vishnu's vehicle, in the shape of a man with wings and a cobra around his neck. This pillar is now broken and the statue stands on the ground, still in front of the temple. To the right of the pillar is a statue, in a niche, of Vishnu, in his incarnation as Narasimha, the man-lion." 
"Temple of Bhimsen, Bhatgaon (Nepal)" The Temple of Bhimsun at Bhatgaon (Bhaktapur) indicates that the ground floor of the temple is open and the shrine is situated up on the roof of the building. 
"Temples at Pushupatinath (Nepal)" This painting of a temple at Pashupatinath is inscribed on the back by Oldfield: "Mt Yhassa in distance". Referring to this painting, he wrote: "The Baghmatti river, by having to flow through the narrow gorges at Gaokarran and Pashpatti, has its attendant valley divided into three distinct and different portions. It flows through a first distinctly defined valley between Baghdwar, where it leaves the Sheopuri Mountain, and the pass of Gaokarran. It flows through a second equally distinct valley in its course from Gaokarran to Pashpatti. Here it has the woods of Gaokarran and Pashpatti on its left and the high land on which are the temples of "Baddhnath" and "Dandeo" on its right bank. After emerging from the wood of Pashpatti, it flows through a third extensive and very circuitous plain before it finally leaves the Valley of Nipal." 
"Image of Vishnu floating in a temple tank at Budhnilakanth" Next is a beautiful painting of Lord Vishnu, floating in a temple tank at Budhnilakanth in Nepal. Oldfield inscribed on the verso: ''Boora (or great) Neel-Khunt' at the foot of the Sheopoory mountain, and about 6 miles from Kathmandoo". "The large stone sculpture lying in the walled tank at the foot of Shivapuri Mountain is Narayan, the reclining Vishnu. When Vishnu is seen in this pose it is meant to signify the moment when he was sleeping on the cosmic ocean and out of his navel appeared Brahma, who then creates the universe. This particular sculpture is said to have been brought from the southern hills to this location in the 7th century." 
"Asoka's Temple - called Chillundeo - in the centre of Patan" Oldfield inscribed on the verso of this painting: "Asoka's Temple - called Chillundeo - in the centre of Patun." The Chillandeo temple at Lalitpur is on the west side of a square tank. Asoka is thought to have built this tank at the same time that he built the temple. "Both at Patan and Kirtipur the term "Chillandeo" is applied to a group of five temples, the principal and largest of which stands in the centre, having one of the four smaller subordinate chaityas opposite each of its corners. The hemisphere of each temple is elevated about six feet from the ground by standing on a square basement, which forms a broad terrace round the base of the garbh... On each side of the square base of the garbh is a shrine containing an image of one of the Divine Buddhas, and at each of its corners is a smaller shrine containing an image of one of the Taras... In front of the eastern face of each temple is a large stone "Dharm dhatu-mandal" [relic-shrine]... In both Chillandeo temples the shrines and images which they contain are very elaborately finished; the characteristic crests, supporters, and symbols of the Buddhas and their respective Taras are very distinctly carved, and all the details about the temples have been executed with an amount of care and accuracy which makes them very interesting and valuable objects of study..." 
"Head of 'Teekha Bheirab' near Pherphing" Oldfield writes on the reverse side of this watercolor: "Head of 'Teekha Bheirab' near Pherphing". This painting is a colorful depiction of the Bhairab shrine, an open-air image under a sheltering roof. Bhairab is one of Lord Shiva's fearful forms, and is often shown with his consort, Bhairavi. These Vaisnava deities are also worshipped by the Buddhists, and the iconography typically has a heavy Buddhist influence in Nepal, with open mouth, large teeth, wild hair, a third eye. Bhairav is often seen stepping upon the back of one of his yaksha attendants. 
"The Kumari jatra" Inscribed on the verso of this watercolour, Oldfield writes: "'The 'Ruth' jatra in front of Durbar". The painting depicts three temple cars outside the Hanuman Dhoka, or Old Palace, Kathmandu. Hanuman Dhoka, situated on the Bhaktapur Darbar Square quadrangle, is named for Hanuman. Surrounded by various temples and monuments, this is said to be the spot where Durga Ma appeared in answer to the call of Rama, after Sita was kidnapped. The Kumari yatra is the event when a small girl between the ages of three and five is chosen by the Buddhist Shayka clan to be worshipped as the incarnation of the goddess Taleju, the Buddhist name for Durga. Oldfield writes: "The Ruthjatra itself consists in dragging through the streets of Kathmandu these three Banhra children, each of them being seated or enshrined like a deity during the procession in a triumphal car. There are, therefore three cars, all made in the form of an ordinary Hindu temple, covered with copper-gilt. The largest of the three...has three roofs and in the lower chamber the little girl sits enshrined as a deity, and to her the offerings of money, fruit, flowers, &c. are made. No figures of the god are carried in any of these cars, as the children, for the time, personate the deity. In the small gallery round the car in which the little girl is, are some priests, a few Sardars, and others, one of whom bears the sword of state of the reigning king... The cars have to make their different circuits in three different quarters of the city on three alternate days."
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