Patan Lalitpur Bhimsen temple is located at the Durbar
Square in Patan, Nepal. It is one of the major shrines in the Mangal Palace
square and is dedicated to Bhimasena, one of the five Pandava brothers in the
Mahabharata. The Newar community worships him as the god of trade. Lalitpur is
sometimes referred to as Patan.
The murti of Bhimsen is one that is annihilating the demons.
The demons here symbolically represent various vices in a human being including
lust, jealousy and avarice. Making profits without violating the rules and
regulations of business is the principle behind the deity worship. The mount of
Bhimsen, lion, is seen atop a pillar in front of the temple.
The exact origin of the temple is unknown but it was
renovated in 1682 CE. The shrine was destroyed during the earthquakes of 1934, 1967
and 2015. The temple was rebuilt using the salvaged materials after the
earthquake.
This is a three-tire temple and the main deity of Bhimasena is
worshipped in the first floor.
The temple is noted for its beautiful architecture. The
first floor of the temple is accessed by steep wooden steps. The temple has
metal, stone and wooden sculptures of various deities worshipped in the Hindu
pantheon throughout the various parts of the temple.