The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th C.E. Sun Temple build in Konark, about 35 K

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13-Mar-2026 12 am

The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th C.E. Sun Temple build in Konark, about 35 Kilometers to the North-East of the City of Puri, in the district of Puri, along the coastline of Odisha, India. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, it continues to be a significant pilgrimage destination for Hindus, who come together annually for the Chandrabhaga Mela around February. The word Konark is derived from the Sanskrit word --Kona -- meaning Corner or Triangle and -- Arka -- meaning The Sun. The reverse side of the Indian 10 rupee currency note features the Konark Sun Temple to highlight its significance in Indian cultural heritage. The temple was build by Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern-Ganga dynasty of the ancient state of Kalinga of India, around 1250 A.D. The Temple was build in honour of the Hindu Sun God (Surya) and what survives of the Temple-complex is a100 feet-high chariot with massive wheels and horses all carved out from stones. In Hindu Vedic iconography, Surya is depicted as ascending in the east and swiftly crossing the sky in a chariot pulled by seven horses. He is usually depicted as a radiant figure standing and grasping a lotus flower in each hand, driving the chariot guided by the charioteer Aruna. The seven horses are called by the names of the seven meters in Sanskrit prosody: Gayatri, Brihati, Ushnih, Jagati, Trishtubh, Anushtubh, and Pankti. The Konark Temple reflects Indian craftsmanship and iconography in mammoth scale and has over twenty-four detailed stone-carved wheels (each with a diameter of 9 feet, 9 inches and 8 spokes) and being pulled by set of seven horses. The architecture of the Temple and that of the wheels in particular is symbolic, with 12 pair of wheels corresponding to 12 months of the Hindu calendar and each moth is paired to two cycles (Shukla and Krishna). The original temple used to have a sanctum sanctorum (--Vimana-- in Sanskrit) of 229 feet, which feel in in 1837. When the Temple is viewed at dawn during sunrise, it appears the chariot-shaped Temple arises from the Depth of the Blue Ocean, carrying the Sun. The surviving structures and elements are renowned for their elaborate art, symbolism, and themes, such as erotic kama and mithuna depictions. Also known as the Surya Devalaya, it exemplifies the traditional Odisha architectural style, also referred to as Kalinga architecture. #History #Architecture

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