The Sun Temple Konark

Built by Raja Narsimhadeva of the Ganga dynasty, in the 13th century AD, the temple is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture. Lord Surya (Sun) is worshiped here. The temple resembles a colossal chariot, with 24 wheels, pulled by seven straining horses, and has a three-tiered pyramidal roof topped off by a fine spire. It is said that, the very first ray of the Sun every morning falls upon this temple, from which it got its name.

Legend has it that Samba, the son of Lord Krishna and Jambavati, was cursed with leprosy by Krishna, when he entered the bathing chamber of Krishna's wives. It was decreed that he would be relieved of the curse by worshipping the sun God on the seacoast northeast of Puri. Accordingly Samba reached Konaditya Kshetra and discovered an image of Surya seated on the lotus, worshipped him and was relieved of his curse. It is said that the temple was not completed as conceived because the foundation was not strong enough to bear the weight of the heavy dome. Local belief has it that it was constructed in entirety, however its magnetic dome caused ships to crash near the seashore, and that the dome was removed and destroyed and that the image of the Sun God was taken to Puri.

The Konark temple is widely known for its architectural grandeur and intricacy and profusion of sculptural work. The entire temple has been conceived as a chariot of the sun god with 24 wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, with a set of spokes and elaborate carvings. Seven horses drag the temple, two lions guard the entrance, crushing elephants. A flight of steps leads to the main entrance. There are three images of the Sun God, positioned to catch the rays of the sun at dawn, noon and sunset.

The temple is a brilliant chronicle in stone, with impressive sculptures. Every aspect of life is represented here, and the erotic imagery, depicts the sublimation of human love manifested in countless forms. Scenes from court, civic life and war are also done with great precision. The court of the temple was decorated with large freestanding sculptures of great strength and beauty. Now protected under the World Heritage List, the temple's interior was filled - up in 1903 A.D., by the then British Lt. Governor of Bengal, to save it from deterioration. It is considered the crowning glory of Oriya temple architecture. The Konark Sun temple is probably the best and most majestic specimen of temple art in Orissa. The Indian system of beliefs venerates the sun as an inexhaustible source of energy. Sun worship in India dates back to ancient times. Many myths and legends surround this crowning glory of Orissa. The temple is a brilliant chronicle in stone, with thousands of images including deities, the Surasundaris, heavenly damsels and dancers and other scenes from courtly life. The temple is said to have fallen into disuse after its desecration by the Muslims and time has brought this immense structure to its present condition. Adjacent to the main temple lies the Nata mandira or the dance hall, intricately carved with musicians and dancers in various poses. Today the amphitheater with the Sun Temple at the backdrop is the venue for one of the most exciting dance festivals.

The Sun Temple Museum run by the Archaeological Survey of India has an excellent collection of sculptures from the temple ruins. Konark beach offers beautiful sunset. Its waters tend to be trickier- -even strong; swimmers need to be wary. The immense backdrop of the Sun Temple looks breathtaking when illuminated in the evening. In Konark, the “Natya Mandir”, the dance hall of the sun Temple probably remains as the last remnant of the glorious temples of Orissa, an extant example of the architectural excellence of the times. Only two subsidiary temples out of the 22 that were also situated inside the temple precincts exist today. The Vaishnadevi Temple and the Mayadevi Temple stand to the West of the towers.