File:Bhringareshwar Mahadev Temple Ancient Temple Sunakothi Lalitpur Nepal Rajesh Dhungana (3).jpg

English: Lalitpur District Sunakothi in ward no 27. Which is mentioned in the records of the Lichhavi period written by Dhanbajra Bajracharya. Sunakothi is a new name. There is a Sunakothi at a distance of about 4 kilometers from Patan's Mangal Bazaar, Lalitpur. In this place there is a temple of Bhringareshwar Mahadev, which is more ancient than Pashupatinath Mahadev. It is mentioned in the medieval records written by Mr. Dhanbajracharya. It is mentioned that the temple of Bhringareshwar Mahadev is the temple before the temple of Pashupati. Bhringareshwar Shivalinga is one of the four Swayambhu Siddhajyotirlings. Therefore, it is considered to be non-man-made and self-generated Jyotirlings. Thus, Shri Bhringareshwar Mahadev is considered as one of the most ancient Mahadevs found in Nepal. This temple can be understood by different names. Bhringareshwar, Bhringreshwar, Bhringresh, Bhimbhringeshwar, Bhringishwar and Suvarneshwar. In the Lichchhavi period, the records of Bhimarjunade and Vishnu Gupta mention Bhringar village Panchali and only Bhringar is mentioned, while the records of Shri Shivadev II clearly mention Bhringareshwar. Since the name of Bhringareshwar is mentioned in the Gopal Raj dynasty, it is clear that this name came to the fore.

The old temple of Bhringareshwar Mahadev was completely damaged by the great earthquake of 1990 BS. The present temple has been rebuilt. King Bishnu Singh of Lalitpur dedicated it to his father, King Kusum Singh, and built a flawless temple for Mahadev on Shiva Yoga on Monday, 674 A.D., 1610 Magh Shukla Panchami. Dhanbajracharya mentions that this ancient temple used to be very grand and the description of Prasad Ratna Sumeru with Dancho Lagdo etc. gives the impression that the roof of the temple is made of gold. In this context, culturologist Satya Mohan Joshi mentions that the Managruh Rajprasad built in the name of King Mandev in the 5th century AD and the Kailashkoot Bhavan in the inscription of King Shivadev in another inscription clearly show the ancient history of Bhringareshwar place of Sunaguthi. Rituals also appear. In fact, it is Siddhamahadev. Shri Bhringareshwar Mahadev Bhaktabatsal Mahadev is the one who fulfills the desires and welfare of the devotees. Like the Bhringareshwar Shivalinga Parasmani and Sparsamani, the priest's Kush's ring turned into a gold ring and the throat's chisel turned into a golden sickle. Was In the inscription kept by Shri Shivadev on Samvat 121 Bhadra Shukla Panchami, it is found that many things related to Bhringareshwar are mentioned in this inscription. The phrase "for the condition of Bhringareshwar Dev temple" mentioned in this inscription makes it clear that the temple was built with the phrase "Bhringareshwar Mahadev" and also for the status of "Bhring". Similarly, in the records of Bhattarak Maharaj Bhimarjudev and Shri Bishnugupta, who was working during his time, in the year 65 Phagun Shukla Vditiya, it is mentioned by the Panchalikars of Bhringar village. It is also mentioned that the Panchalis of the village of Bhringareshwar Mahadev, where Bhringareshwar Mahadev was located, happily pulled a stone to make a statue of wonder in the task of bringing the burden of Kashti Vishti i.e. Jhara. From this, it is known that the residents of Bhringareshwar Vek had brought stones to make a statue of Budhanilkantha Narayan. In addition to this, it is also mentioned in the records that the residents of Bhringaareshwar Vek have been given the right of autonomy by the state.

All these evidences show that this temple is older than Pashupati. There are many temples within this temple complex. I will post about them gradually.