Konark Temple

Konark Sun Temple is situated , inside the state of Orissa near the sacred metropolis of Puri. The sun Temple of Konark is committed for the sun God or Surya. It is a masterpiece of Orissa's medieval architecture. Sun temple continues to be declared a planet heritage web site by UNESCO.

The Konark temple is broadly identified not merely for its architectural grandeur but additionally for the intricacy and profusion of sculptural operate. The entire temple has been conceived like a chariot in the sun god with 24 wheels, every about 10 toes in diameter, having a set of spokes and elaborate carvings. 7 horses drag the temple. Two lions guard the entrance, crushing elephants. A flight of methods lead to the principle entrance.

The Nata Mandir in entrance in the Jagamohana can also be intricately carved. Round the base in the temple, and up the partitions and roof, are carvings within the erotic design. You will find photos of animals, foliage, men, warriors on horses as well as other fascinating patterns. There are 3 pictures of the Sun God, positioned to catch the rays of the sun at dawn, noon and sunset.

Area
The temple town of Konark is situated in the eastern state of Orissa at a distance of all around 65 km from Bhubaneswar and 35 km from Puri. The city extends in between longitude 86.08°E and latitude 19.53°N.

Historical past
Konark derives its name from Konarka, the presiding deity of the Sun Temple. Konarka is actually a mixture of two words, Kona (corner) and Arka (sun), which, when merged, means the sun in the corner. Konark was a single in the earliest centres of Sun worshipping in India. The place finds mention inside the Puranas as Mundira or Mundirasvamin, a title that was subsequently replaced by Konaditya or Konarka. Apart through the Puranas, other religious texts also stage in direction of the existence of the sun temple at Konark extended just before the current temple.

Konark was as soon as a bustling port of Kalinga and had great maritime trade relations with Southeast Asian nations. The current Sun Temple was most likely constructed King Narashimhadev I (Advert 1238-64) of the Ganga dynasty to celebrate his victory above the Muslims. The temple fell into disuse within the early 17th century soon after it had been desecrated by an envoy of the Mughal emperor Jahangir.

However, legend has it that the temple was constructed by Samba, the son of Lord Krishna. It is mentioned that Samba was afflicted by leprosy, brought about by his father's curse on him. Soon after 12 many years of penance, he was remedied by Surya, the Sun God, in whose honour he built this temple.

Architecture with the Temple
The huge framework of the temple, now in ruins, sits in solitary splendor surrounded from the drifting sands. The complete temple has been developed inside the shape of a chariot carrying the Sun God across the heavens. The large intricate wheels from the chariot, which are carved round the base in the temple, are the major attractions of the temple. The spokes of these wheels serve as sundials, as well as the shadows formed by these can give the specific time in the day. The pyramidal roof in the temple, made of sandstone, soars more than 30 m in peak. Just like the temples at Khajuraho, the Sun Temple at Konark is also covered with erotic sculptures.

The Temple Chariot of the Sun God
Standing imperiously in its compound of lawns and casuarina trees, 35km north of Puri around the coast road, this majestic pile of oxidizing sandstone is regarded as to become the apogee of Orissan architecture and a single with the finest spiritual buildings anyplace on the planet. The temple is all of the a lot more outstanding for having languished underneath an enormous mound of sand because it fell into neglect 3 hundred or so many years back. A team of seven galloping horses and twenty-four exquisitely carved wheels located lining the flanks of a elevated platform showed that the temple had been conceived in the type of a colossal chariot for the sun god Surya, its presiding deity.

Woman drummer of Sun Temple
The temple is a outstanding chronicle in stone, with a large number of photos which includes deities, the Surasundaris, heavenly damsels, and human musicians, lovers, dancers, and various scenes from courtly daily life.

Maituna - Sun Temple
Equally as sensational was the re-discovery amongst the ruins of some extraordinary erotic sculpture. Konark is plastered with loving couples locked in ingenious amatory postures drawn in the Kama Sutra - a characteristic that may properly clarify the comment made by 1 of excellent poet of Mughal Dynasty,Abdul Fazl, in the sixteenth century: "Even those that are difficult to remember to," he enthused, "stand astonished at its sight."

Sacred Pond
A stone's toss absent from Konark beach lies the sacred pond wherever Samba was cured of leprosy - the wonder that allegedly inspired the founding from the sun temple. For a couple of days annually in the course of the full or "white" moon phase of Magha (Jan/Feb), chandrabhaga can also be the site of the massive spiritual festival, the Magha Saptami Mela.

Festivals

Magha Saptami
The Chandrabhaga Mela or Magha Saptami mela in the month of February, is actually a grand spiritual festival. Thousands of pilgrims converge within the pool, on this day to consider a holy dip in its curative waters, and after that shuffle off towards the seashore exactly where, in accordance using an age-old customized mentioned inside the puranas, they watch the sun rise above the sea. The event is followed through the puja in the Navagraha.

Those considering attending the Konark Dance Festival, held within the Open up air Auditorium north of the Sun Temple, need to go to throughout the first week of December.

Konark Dance Festival
A dance festival is held in an open-air theatre built near the Sun Temple yearly within the month of December. Recognized as the Konark dance festival, the event brings together eminent classical dancers of India who carry out various dance types like Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri, Kathak and Chhow. The classical extravaganza is a journey via ecstasy, plus a go to to Konark throughout this time presents you having a mixture of art, craft, enjoyable and frolic.

Magha Saptami (Sun Festival) is held at Konark about the seventh day (saptami) in the brilliant half from the month of Magha (January/February). Throughout this festival, the pilgrims bathe in the sea ahead of sunrise and then continue for the temple to worship.

How you can Get There

Air
There's no immediate connection from Konark by air. Nearest air heads are Bhubaneswar and Puri. Indian Airlines, Jet Air, and Sahara link Bhubaneswar to Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, and Nagpur.

Rail
The nearest railheads are Puri and Bhubaneswar. These two stations are connected to every one of the significant metropolitan areas in India by means of long-distance trains.

Street
Orissa State Street Transport Company and non-public buses supply links with all elements of the state. Deluxe coach solutions from Calcutta, Bijapur, and Vishakhapatnam are accessible.