Information
Landmark: Yoga Narendra Malla StatueCity: Lalitpur
Country: Nepal
Continent: Asia
Yoga Narendra Malla Statue, Lalitpur, Nepal, Asia
The Yoga Narendra Malla Statue is a 17th-century bronze monument situated atop a tall stone pillar in the southern section of Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur. Erected in 1700 CE, it depicts King Yoganarendra Malla (reigned 1684–1705) in a kneeling devotional posture, facing the royal palace.
Visual Characteristics & Iconography
The Figure: The King is depicted with hands joined in Anjali Mudra (prayer). He is often accompanied by smaller figures of his queens or his son.
The Naga Canopy: A large bronze cobra (Naga) rises behind the King, its hood forming a protective canopy over his head.
The Golden Bird: Perched on the very top of the cobra's hood is a small brass bird. This is the most significant symbolic element of the statue.
The Pillar: The statues are mounted on a high, octagonal stone pedestal, elevating the monarch above the plaza level.
Historical Legend & Significance
The statue is tied to a famous local prophecy regarding the King’s immortality.
The Prophecy: King Yoganarendra Malla declared that he would be considered alive as long as the bird remained on top of the statue.
The Palace Ritual: Based on this belief, the Patan Royal Palace traditionally kept a window and door open for his return, and a hookah (pipe) was reportedly prepared daily for his spirit well into the modern era.
The "Elephant" Rider: A secondary legend states that when the bird finally flies away, the stone elephants guarding the nearby Vishwanath Temple will walk to the Manga Hiti (ancient water spout) to drink water.
Location & Context
Placement: The pillar stands prominently in the open square, positioned between the Jagannarayan Temple and the Chyasin Dewal.
Seismicity: The pillar and statue toppled during the 2015 earthquake but were among the first monuments in the square to be meticulously restored and re-installed.
Access & Logistics
Visibility: Clearly visible from any point in the southern plaza of the Durbar Square.
Photography: The statue is best photographed in the late afternoon when the sun highlights the bronze textures and the gilded bird against the sky.
Entry: Accessible with the general Patan Durbar Square entry ticket.
Nearby Landmarks
Jagannarayan (Char Narayan) Temple: Directly North.
Vishwanath Temple: 0.03km North.
Patan Museum (Keshav Narayan Chowk): 0.1km North.
Taleju Bell: 0.05km South.
