KONARK
SUN TEMPLE
Kainapara of the 1st century AD, is an important port of the Orissan coast.
The most notable marvel of Orissan art is the stately Sun Temple in Konark,
Built in AD 1250, during the reign of the Eastern Ganga King Narasimhadeva-I
(AD 1238-64), it was to enshrine an image of Sun ("Arka"), the patron deity of
the place.
The
Chariot Temple - Temple of The Sun
The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven
spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely carved wheels. The sanctum
symbolises the majestic stride of the Sun God and marks the culmination of the
Orissan architectural style.
There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the temple. Some say the
wheels represent the 24 hours in a day and others say the 12 months. The seven
horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week. There is a dancing
hall here, an audience hall and a high tower too. Sailors once called this Sun
Temple the Black Pagoda because it was supposed to draw ships into the shore
and cause shipwrecks.
The Vimana of the Deul has collapsed, while that of Jagamohana and the
Nata-Mandapa are better preserved. The walls of the Sun temple in Konark
contain superb carving of divine, semi-divine, human and animal figures amidst
floral and geometric ornamentations.
The vivacious Kanyas and danseuse are remarkable for their sensuous modelling,
pulsating with human emotions which are absorbed in a variety of gestures and
rhythmic actions. Such sculptures render the Orissan temple a class unto
themselves. Mighty Simha-Gajas welcome the visitor at the porches.
