The idol of Kal Bhairav stands at the North-Western periphery of the Hanumandhoka Royal Palace. It is a standalone idol and doesn't have a temple to house it. Made of black stone and wearing a terrible aspect, it stands twelve feet tall over a dead body and wears a garland of human skulls. The overall appearance of the idol is quite terrifying and it is believed that during the medieval period criminals were punished in front of it, with many dying or blurting out the truth immediately upon witnessing the idol. Although King Pratap Malla established it at its present location, the effigy itself dates back to a few centuries before the king's reign.