Konark Sun Temple, Location, Features, Latest News

Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty

It appeared dark and was used as a navigation landmark.

Table of Contents☰

Konark Sun Temple Latest News

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has prohibited tourists from entering the ‘Nata Mandap’ of the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha’s Puri district.

It is located on the coastline of Odisha in the Puri district.
Also called the Surya Devalaya, the temple is dedicated to the Hindu sun god Surya.
Textual evidence indicates that Narasimha I (who reigned between 1238 and 1264) of the Eastern Ganga dynasty built the temple in 1250 CE.
It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

It is a classic example of the Odisha style of architecture, or Kalinga architecture.
The height of the Sun Temple at Konark is estimated to be around 227 feet, making it one of the tallest temples ever built in the country.
The temple complex has the appearance of a 100-foot-high solar chariot, with 24 wheels and pulled by six horses, all carved from stone.
It is oriented towards the east so that the first rays of the sunrise strike the main entrance.
The wheels of the temple are sundials, which can be used to calculate time accurately to a minute.
Around the base of the temple, there are images of animals, foliage, warriors on horses, and other interesting structures.
The temple also features elaborate stone carvings depicting scenes from Hindu mythology.
The temple was constructed using three types of stones – the laterite stone for the boundary walls, flooring, and staircase; Khondalite for the structure; and Chlorite stone for the door jams and lintel.
The use of iron strips to hold the structure together can be seen amongst the ruins of the temple.
The temple was called Black Pagoda, attributed to its dark facade, by the Europeans who used it for navigation for their ships.
It is said that the temple could draw ships to the shore due to its magnetic powers.
The temple remains a site of contemporary worship for Hindus, during the annual Chandrabhaga Festival, around the month of February.