Amongst the four famous Narayan’s of Kathmandu Valley, Bishankhu Narayan Temple is located in a small village named Bishankhu Narayan, a portion of the Godawari Municipality. It is a temple devoted to the Hindu god, Lord Bishnu who is also recognized by the name Narayan. Haridutta Varma assembled the Bishankhu Narayan temple in Badegoun, near Godawari, between 43 and 143 AD. The temple building is modest and unpretentious, and the object of worship is simply a plain rock. The temple is surrounded by rich water resources and thick forests because locations like Godawari, Lamatar, Godamchour are surrounding this temple. A small cave is also located inside this temple.

History of the temple:
According to legends, the hills surrounding the temple were built when Lord Bishnu defeated the demon Bhasmasura. This demon had gained the power to convert anybody he touched into ashes from Lord Shiva and attempted to test his new powers on the deity himself. However, after long persuasion, Lord Vishnu managed to trick the demon into putting his
power to the test on himself, which turned Bhasmasura into a heap of ashes.

The popularity of the temple:
Bishankhu Narayan temple is visited by tens of thousands of pilgrims every year. In the temple, there is a tiny gap in between the rocks and the locals have a strong belief that the rock can determine whether you’re a sinner or not.
Pilgrims try to test their sin levels in this temple by trying to squeeze through the tiny gap of the narrow fissure in the rocks. It is said that if one gets stuck in this gap, their sin is either gluttony or arrogance. In addition to the historical and religious importance, people also often visit this location to enjoy their friendly picnics. The view from this temple is scenic and very pleasant as well.