KONARK SUN TEMPLE

"India's Best Kept Secret" Odisha is the land of fables and myths. This beautiful eastern coastal state of India has one of the oldest sun temples in India. Konark Sun Temple built in the 13th century is dedicated to Sun God Surya. The presiding deity is the Sun God Surya. The main door of the temple is closed. The place is very well maintained by the Archeological Survey of India. Considered to be UNESCO World Heritage Site this 13th-century temple is located in Konark, Odisha. The word Konark is a combination of two Sanskrit words (Kona-corner or angle) and arka (the sun). The temple structure depicts the Kalinga or Orissa style of temple architecture which is regarded to be a subset of the nagara style of  Hindu temple architecture. The nagara style of Indian temple architecture is represented by a square ground plan, containing a sanctuary and an assembly hall referred to as mandapa.

The temple is in the form of a huge chariot with twelve wheels which are intricately decorated drawn by seven galloping horses. The beauty and grandeur of the temple is ineffable. It is considered to be a timeless Wonder. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Odisha. Apart from the temple with its tall shikhara and ornately decorated images and giant wheels, something that I liked the most about the temple is the elevated Natya mandap which is a separate structure in front of the temple. Known also as the Black Pagoda the temple is attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. The temple is located 35 kilometers northeast from the Puri district of Odisha. The best part about visiting Konark is getting to interact with the local people to get to know the story of this architectural marvel, buying the colorful artifacts from the local market in front of the temple, tasting local cuisines, and losing oneself to the beauty of this ageless creation. Almost every image of the temple has a story attached to it.




A giant wheel in the Sun Temple, Konark


Romping around in the beautiful Sun Temple


Location: Konark, Odisha, India

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