Konark sun temple

The most notable marvel of Odisha art is the stately Sun Temple of  Konark which was built in AD 1250. The temple was built with the intent to enshrine the image of Sun - the patron deity of the place. The exquisite Sun temple is a living monument of Orissa's glorious past. It is regarded as the peak of art and architecture in the ancient Kalinga era. The entire temple in Konark was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by 7 spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely carved wheels. The sanctum symbolises the majestic parade of the Sun god and marks the apex of the the state's architectural style.

Location:

Konark is situated at confortable distance from the famous religious and tourist centre of Puri (35 K.M.) and the capital city of Bhubaneswar (65 K.M.)

The Name               

"Konarka" , the place bears a name composed of two World elements : Kona meaning corner and ARKA meaning the Sun.

The Sun god worshipped in Ark Kshetra is also called Konark. In 'Brahma Purana' the Sun God in Ark-kshetra has been described as Konaditya. So it is evident that the place where the Kona aditya (or Kona-arka, the Sun god) was worshipped was also popularly called Konark

It is described in Purusottam Mahatmya that Lord Vishnu after killing the demon Gayasur, to commemorate the glory of his victory, placed his Sankha (cronch) in Puri, Chakra (disc) in Bhubaneswar, Gada (mace) in Jajapur and Padma (lotus) in Konark and they were later known as Sankha Kshetra, Chakra Kshetra, Gada Kshetra and Padma Kshetra respectively.

This corner on the east  sea coast houses the ruins of a temple, exquisitely built to resemble a gigantic chariot with impeccably carved wheels , columns and panels. It stands as a mute reminder of the times when Orissan architecture has reached its pinnacle.

The Black Pagoda   

The main Temple was called by European sailers "The Black Pagoda" as it formed an important landmark for them in their coastal voyage. Contrasting to this , the white washed Temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri was known as the white pagoda.

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