The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka; marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (kotyahuti-yagya); and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur; possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.

Highly ornate in itself; the panels left and right of the door; depicting ten different deities; are superb examples of the art of repouss? On the panels; Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east; including the town of Dolakha.

Above the door; the golden torana shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect; half-goddess. Above her; at the top of the torana; an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him. Pictures From Asia Chaweewan Chuchuay