Konark Sun Temple

Built by the king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in the years around 1250, this 13^th century temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity “Surya” (Sun). It is situated on the coast of Odisha and about 35 kilometres northeast of puri. The sun temple at Konark was called “Black Pagoda” by the European sailors because it appeared as a giant black tiered tower from the Bay of Bengal. Similarly, the Jagannath Temple at Puri is mentioned as “White Pagoda” in the accounts of the early European sailors during the 16^th – 17^th century.

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Facts about Konark Sun Temple

1. In 1984, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. On the reverse side of the Rs. 10 denomination note, a picture of the Konark Sun Temple is depicted.
3. In the month of February every year, many Hindu pilgrims gather here for the Chandrabhaga Mela.
4. It is often called “Surya Devalaya” as well.
5. Konark together with Puri and with Bhubaneshwar completes the Golden Triangle of Odisha, which is a major pilgrimage route for the Hindus in the state of Orissa.
6. It was originally constructed at the mouth of the river Chandrabhaga which has since then receded.
7. Konark Sun temple represents the Kalinga Style of Architecture.
8. The face of the temple faces East so that the early rays of the sun fall on the main entrance of the temple.
9. It is built using Khondalite rocks which are a sub-type of Metamorphic rocks.
10. The temple has 12 wheels in two rows each totaling 24 around the temple, which represents sundials and could be used to determine the time precisely to minute.
11. In the late 18th century period, a monolith called “Aruna Stambh” was removed from the Konark Sun Temple and installed on Lion’s Gate (Singha Dwara) of Puri’s Jagannath Temple by a Maratha brahmachari named Goswain/Goswami
12. The temple has been destroyed many times and factors are attributed to nature and war activities by Muslim invaders.
13. The assembly hall of the temple also called “Jagamohan” in the Odisha, was filled with sand and closed by the British in the year 1904 to stop it from completely collapsing. This assembly hall is the center of the temple as it connects the entrance with the sanctum-sanctorum.

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Recent Developments

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently proposed to open the temple and remove the sands from the Jagamohan (Assembly Hall) of the temple. Multiple carvings will be done on the walls and floors of the temple to enable access of the inside of the temple to the workers who will, in turn, remove the sand. After removing the sand, ASI will use modern technology to stabilise the structure.
• In this restoration of Konark Sun Temple, the ASI will be assisted by a team from IIT Madras.

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