MULCHOWK central courtyard is the largest and oldest of the palace-s three main chowks (squares). Two stone lions guard the entrance to the courtyard, which was built by Siddhinars ingh Malia, destroyed in a fire in 1662 and rebuilt by Srinivasa Malla in 1665—66. At the centre of the courtyard stands the small. gilded Bidya Temple. The palace-s three Taleju temples stand around the courtyard. The doorway to the Shrine of Taleju or Taleju Bhawani, on the southern side of the courtyard, is flanked by the statues of the river goddesses Ganga. on a tortoise, and Jamuna. on a carved makura (mythical crocodile). The five-storey Degutalle Temple, topped by its octagonal triple-roofed tower, is on the northeastern corner of the square. The larger, triple roofed Taleju Temple is directly north, looking out over Durbar Sq. It was built by Siddhinarsingh Malla in 1640, rebuilt after a fire and again after the 1934 earthquake completely destroyed it. The goddess Taleju was the personal deity of the Malla kings from the 14th century, and Tantric rites were performed to her here.