Konark Sun Temple

The Konark Sun Temple, dedicated to the sun God or Surya, is located in the eastern state of Odisha near the sacred city of Puri. It is a massive representation of Surya's chariot, which has 24 wheels with symbolic designs and is drawn by a team of seven horses. It is the most famous of the few sun temples built in India, and it is a masterpiece of Odisha's mediaeval architecture.

 

The temple, which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, was constructed in 1250 during the reign of Eastern Ganga King Narasimhadeva-I. (A.D. 1238-64). On each side of the Konark sun temple, there are two rows of 12 wheels. Some people believe the wheels represent the 24 hours in a day, while others believe they represent the 12 months. The number 24 represents the 24 fortnights in a year as well as the 24 hours of the day, which is also represented by Ashok Chakra in the Indian flag's centre.

According to legend, the seven horses represent the seven days of the week. Because it is present all around us spiritually, historically, and materialistically, the number 7 is said to be a magical number. The bride and groom, for example, take seven rounds of Agni, the Fire God; the periodic table has elements in groups of seven; an octave is seven musical notes, and so on. As a result, the seven horses may simply represent the mysterious number seven that surrounds us.

Despite the fact that many parts of the temple complex are now in ruins, the temple complex continues to attract tourists as well as Hindu pilgrims.

 

It is Kalinga architecture's pinnacle achievement, depicting the grace, joy, and rhythm of life in all its wondrous variety.

 

 

From the 5th century AD to the 15th century AD, the rulers of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty ruled the historic region of Kalinga, which includes major parts of modern-day Odisha as well as parts of Chhatisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. It was one of India's most powerful dynasties, creating magnificent temples such as the Konark Sun Temple and the Puri Jagannath Temple.

 

King Narasimha Deva I built the Konark Temple in 1244 to worship Surya, the Sun God. Konark was chosen as the site of construction because it was described in ancient texts as Surya's holy seat.

 

Many Hindu scriptures mention Konark as a significant site for sun worship. One theory claims that Konark was the site of the first Sun temple. The legend of how Samba, son of Lord Krishna, built the temple to worship the sun is told in the Samba Purana, an ancient text dedicated to Surya. Samba is credited with inventing the practise of sun worship.

 

The temple is built in the traditional Kalinga architectural style. It is facing east so that the first rays of the sunrise fall on the main entrance. The temple, made of Khondalite rocks, was originally built at the mouth of the Chandrabhaga River, but the water level has since receded. The temple's wheels are sundials, which can be used to accurately calculate time to the minute.

 

 

The word 'Konark' is made up of two Sanskrit words: kona (corner or angle) and arka (angle) (the sun). As a result, the main deity was the sun god, and the temple was constructed in an angular shape. The temple is built in the Kalinga or Orissa style of Hindu temple architecture, which is a subset of the Nagara style. The Orissa style is thought to represent the Nagara style in its purest form. The nagara was one of three styles of Hindu temple architecture in India, and it predominated in northern India, while the dravida style predominated in the south, and the vesara style predominated in central and eastern India.

The deul, or sanctum, which houses the deity and is covered by a shikhara, and the jagana-mohana, or assembly hall, are the two main characteristics of the Orissa style. The latter has a pyramidal roof made up of pidhas, which are a series of receding platforms. Internally, both structures are squares and share a platform. The exterior is variegated into projections known as rathas or pagas in this style, which create light and shade effects. Konarak, like many other temples built in this style, has its own unique variations.

 

The style is based on the architecture of the Lingaraja temple in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha's state capital, which was built around 1100 CE and is known locally as the Khakhara style. The temple is set within a large quadrangular court, which is surrounded by massive walls and has a massive gate in the east. Within this complex, there are multiple halls dedicated to various activities such as dancing, serving meals, gatherings, and so on, as well as the sanctum and lofty towers. In terms of the nobility of its conception and the perfection of its finish, Konarak surpasses the Lingaraja. The Konarak temple, even in its ruins, represents the culmination and finality of the Orissan architectural movement.

 

The temple was built with three different types of stone: chlorite, laterite, and khondalite. Khondalite (of poor quality) was used throughout the monument, while chlorite was limited to doorframes and a few sculptures, and laterite was used in the foundation, the platform's (invisible) core, and the stairwells. Because none of these stones were readily available near the site, material had to be transported long distances. The stone blocks were lifted into place, possibly with the help of pulleys, wooden wheels, or rollers. The fitting and finishing were so flawless that the joints were barely visible.

 

The Konark Sun Temple's upper levels and terrace house larger and more significant works of art than the lower level. These include sculptures of Hindu deities such as Durga in her Mahishasuramardini aspect killing the shape-shifting buffalo demon (Shaktism), Vishnu in his Jagannatha form (Vaishnavism), and Shiva as a (largely damaged) linga, as well as images of musicians and mythological narratives (Shaivism). Before 1940, some of the better-preserved friezes and sculptures were removed and sent to museums in Europe and India's major cities.

 

Reliefs adorn the temple's walls from the temple's base to the crowning elements, many of which are finished to jewelry-quality miniature details. There are purely decorative geometric patterns and plant motifs among the carvings. Some panels depict scenes from the king's life, such as one depicting him receiving advice from a guru, with the king's sword resting on the ground next to him, symbolically depicting the king as much smaller than the guru.

 

Friezes of elephants, marching soldiers, musicians, and images depicting the secular life of the people, such as hunting scenes, a caravan of domesticated animals, people carrying supplies on their heads or with the help of a bullock cart, travellers preparing a meal along the roadside, and festive processions, are found in the upana (moulding) layer at the bottom of the platform. Images depicting the daily lives of the elite as well as the common people can be found on other walls. Girls are shown wringing their wet hair, standing by a tree, looking out a window, playing with pets, applying makeup in front of a mirror, and so on.

 

The Konark temple is also known for its maithuna erotic sculptures. These depict couples at various stages of courtship and intimacy, as well as coital themes in some cases. These images are included with other aspects of human life as well as deities that are typically associated with tantra. They were famous during the colonial era for their uninhibited celebration of sexuality. The temple's Shikhara is covered in erotic sculptures that depict all of the bandhas (mudra forms) described in the Kamasutra.

 

Other large sculptures were part of the temple complex's gateways. There are life-size lions taming elephants, elephants taming demons, and horses taming demons. The Aruna Stambha, a large pillar dedicated to Aruna, used to stand in front of the porch's eastern stairs. Horizontal friezes and motifs were carved into this as well. It is now located in front of Puri's Jagannatha temple.

 

 

Many subsidiary shrines and monuments surround the main temple in the Konark Sun Temple complex. Here are a few examples:

 

Mayadevi Temple, located west of the main temple, is older than the main temple, dating from the late 11th century. It consists of a sanctuary, a mandapa, and an open platform in front of it. Excavations were carried out between 1900 and 1910, and it was discovered. A square mandapa is overlain by a sapta-ratha in this temple, which also has numerous carvings. A Nataraja can be found in the sanctum of this Surya temple. A damaged Surya holding a lotus, as well as Agni, Varuna, Vishnu, and Vayu, are among the other deities in the interior.

 

Vaishnava Temple – This is a small temple with Balarama, Varaha, and Vamana–Trivikrama sculptures in the sanctum, indicating that it is a Vaishnavite temple. These women are wearing dhotis and a lot of jewellery in these photos. The main idol in the sanctum is missing, as are images from some of the temple's niches. Vaishnava texts attest to the site's significance as a Vaishnava pilgrimage site. Chaitanya, the early 16th-century scholar and founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, for example, paid a visit to the Konark temple and prayed there.

 

South of the bhoga mandapa is a monument known as the Kitchen (feeding hall). Water sources, cisterns for storing water, drains, a cooking floor, depressions in the floor likely for pounding spices or grains, and several triple ovens (chulahs) for cooking are all included. This structure could have served as a part of a community feeding hall or for special occasions.

 

Well 1 – Located north of the kitchen, on its eastern flank, this monument was most likely constructed to supply water to the community kitchen and bhoga mandapa.

 

Well 2 – This monument and its surrounding structures are located in front of the main temple's northern stairwell, and include footrests, a washing platform, and a wash water drainage system. It was most likely built for pilgrims on their way to the temple.

 

Konarak was a well-known temple even during the mediaeval period, and references to it can be found in literary works. It served as a landmark for sailors sailing the Bay of Bengal, alongside the Jagannatha temple. Due to its white plaster (now removed after restoration), early Europeans traversing this sea referred to the Jagannatha temple as the 'White Pagoda,' and Konarak as the 'Black Pagoda.'

 

The reasons for the deul's and shikhara's demise are unknown at this time. It is thought to have happened as a result of "foundation subsidence, while others speak of an earthquake or lightning; still others doubt if the temple was ever completed."

 

The construction process was a continuation of centuries of Gupta-era temple architecture.