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.