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Description: | Watercolour of Temple of Manju Sri, Bodhisatwa, or Mt. Manju, at Swayambhunath in Nepal, by Henry Ambrose Oldfield (1822-1871), c. 1850-1863. This image is inscribed on the reverse: 'Temple of Manju Sri, Bodhisatwa; or Mt. Manju, at the back or west of the Hill of Sambhunath', together with notes.
Dr Oldfield, who was Residency Surgeon at Kathmandu from 1850-1863, wrote, in Volume II of his 'Sketches from Nipal, Historical and Descriptive...' (1880), "There are several small shrines dedicated to Manjusri and his wives in different parts of the Valley. The largest and most important is situated on Mount Manju, on the western of the two crests of the hill of Sambhunath. The temple stands in the centre of a small courtyard. The temple is a small chaitya of the usual form, but elevated some height from the ground on a solid square base. On the west side of this base is a small shrine having inside it a stone with a "trikon" opening in it, with a "chippat" above. This stone is sacred to Saraswati Devi or Mukhseddar, the senior of Manjusri's two wives. Immediately in front of this is a mandal, on which is carved in relief the "churan" or footprints of Manjusri, with an eye across each sole. The front or face of the shrine is formed by a large horse-shoe-shaped toran, on which are carved numerous small reliefs to Manjusri and his two wives." | License: | http://www.bl.uk/services/copy/permission.html | Rights holder: | British Library | Source: | Collect Britain | Creator: | Oldfield, Henry Ambrose (1822-1871) | Identifier: | http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personal... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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