Konark

The Sun Temple situated at Konark is one of the most famous temples in the Indian state of Orissa. Since, Konark is situated in Orissa; it forms one of the three points of the so-called "Golden Triangle of Tourism". The other two spots are the temple city of Bhubaneshwar and Lord Jagannath's home, Puri.

As, Konark in Orissa is situated at a distance of approximately 35 kilometers from Puri, it is quite comfortably accessible from any part of the state.

The operational capital of Orissa, Bhubaneshwar is located at a distance of 65 kilometers.

The name Konark had been coined by merging two terms, 'kona' meaning corner and 'arka' meaning the sun. According to the 'Brahma Purana', the Sun God was designated as 'Konaditya' in Arka Kshetra. Thus, the place where the Sun God or Konaditya was revered came to be known as Konark. The Sun Temple serves to be the primary attraction of Konark at Orissa. This temple was also regarded as the 'Black Pagoda' by the ancient European mariners.

They used this temple as a landmark during their coastal voyages. The Sun temple was constructed in the form of a chariot with seven pairs of exquisitely ornamented wheels. Each wheel has a total of 8 spokes. The Sun Temple at Konark is aligned in the east west direction. The colossal chariot is shown to be pulled by seven horses. This temple was constructed by King Narasingh Deva-I who belonged to the Ganga dynasty.

Other attractions of Konark of Orissa include Chandrabhaga Mela and the Konark Dance Festival.

Last Updated on : 01/30/2013