The Famous Sun Temple of Konark in State of Orissa, India

India is a country that is full of temples of all types. The sun temples are one specific type that are made to worship Lord Sun. Our earth would not have existed if the sun would not have given heat and warmth to our beautiful planet. The sun temple at Konark is one such most ancient and beautiful sun temple, which is situated in the State of Orissa in India. I had an opportunity to visit this ancient temple in last November during my trip to India. I was amazed to see the glory of this ancient temple and could imagine how rich Indian culture was in the ancient times.

Konark sun temple is situated around 18 miles away from the famous city of Puri in Orissa State of India on the sea shore. The architectural design of this sun temple is really outstanding and the famous architects of the world are really not able to explain how this temple could have been built in the ancient past when no modern engineering means were available. Though, this temple has become old today, its glory can still be felt by one and all visiting this temple. One can easily reach this temple via Puri. Puri is very well connected by air, rail, and road. The nearest airport of Bhuveneshwar is only around 35 miles away. If you prefer to travel by train, Puri is the main junction that is connected with major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad. The State transport buses are also available from all the major cities of Eastern India. This temple is built in the shape of a large chariot, driven by seven horses. It is known that the sunlight is consisting of seven main colors and that is why the Lord Sun is coming to our planet earth on a chariot driven by seven horses bringing light, the most vital element needed for human life.

That is why this sun temple is made in to this specific design of a chariot. This temple was built by King Narsinhdev in the thirteenth century to show the love and respect towards Lord Sun. The full size statue of Lord Sun, made of the grey stone, can be seen sitting in the chariot. The chariot has 24 wheels in all. These wheels are the symbols of time. They keep on moving all the time like 24 hours of the day. The stone platforms provided below the chariot support to this whole chariot. The main structure is 227 feet high. There is a large hall inside the temple to perform the puja and the holy yajnas. All the walls of the temple are engraved with the most artistic sculptures pertaining to the social customs of that time. Many of these sculptures also show the men and the women in various lovemaking postures. As maithuna was considered the symbol of power in the ancient time, these sculptures tell us about the energy and power Lord Sun has.

There is a large government museum here just outside the temple. This museum has lot of ancient specimens of wall paintings and sculptures. The museum remains open from 10 am to 5 pm on all week days. There is a nominal entry fee of Rs.5 (12 cents) per person for this museum. Most of the tourists visit this temple from either Puri or Bhuveneshwar so as to reach back by the same day evening to their hotels. If any tourists want to stay here at Konark, there is a holiday home near the temple that is operated by State government of Orissa. However, you will need to book your accommodation here well in advance as there is generally a large rush of tourists. There are some nearby excursions like Kuruma, Kakarpur, and Astarang, all within around 30 miles from Konark that can be visited from Konark during your stay. There are famous temples of Mangaladevi and Banganga here at these villages. The wood, from which the statues of Lord Jagannath are made for the annual procession at Jagannath Puri, is available from the forests around these villages.

The temple of Konark is really worth visiting for the ancient temple lovers and also for the lovers of Hindu mythology. I would strongly urge all my AC friends to visit this sun temple at the next available opportunity to them during their visit to India.