Konark Sun Temple, Orissa, India

The Konark Sun Temple was built around 1250 CE by king Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. It is located at Konark, roughly 35 kms north of Puri on the Orissa coastline. The term Konark is derived from the Sanskrit terms Kona (meaning angle) and Arka (meaning sun).

The main spire (bada deul) of the temple once stood 229 feet high, but it collapsed sometime in the 17th or 18th century. It was called the "Black Pagoda" by European sailors as late as 1676, because the massive spire of the temple appeared black when the sailors sailed by the coast. What remains now is the jagamohana or mandapa (assembly hall) which is also an imposing structure with a height of 128 feet.

As per traditional accounts, the inner sanctum (garbagriha) of the temple originally had an idol of the Sun God which was suspended in mid air with the ingenious use of magnetic and diamagnetic (which are repelled by a magnetic field) materials. It is a scientifically established fact that, "diamagnets can be levitated in stable equilibrium in a magnetic field, with no power consumption." Therefore, the traditional accounts could have a grain of truth to it.

The traditional accounts also hold that there used to be a large diamond affixed on the headgear of the Sun God's idol. Since the temple is aligned on a East-West Axis, the first rays of the morning sun used to fall on this diamond and light up the entire sanctum creating a grand spectacle. When Kalapahad, the general of the Sultan of Bengal, destroyed and ransacked the temple in 1568 AD, he took away the diamond and damaged the loadstone. As a result, the main spire began to collapse in stages, and the last standing bit, a small curved section, collapsed in 1848.

The entire temple was conceived of as the chariot of the Sun God, with immense wheels and horses. The monumental design of the temple, along with the highly intricate artwork, is awe-inspiring to say the least. It was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984. I have visited this temple multiple times, since it is close to the seaside town of Puri with its famous Jagannatha Temple, and each time it has been an enthralling experience.

This sculpture at the entrance is called nara-gaja-simha (man-elephant-lion). It resembles the Yali or Vyala depicted at the entrances of many temples of Southern and Eastern India. The Yali was also known to the people of the Indus Valley. Read more in my article: "The Yali Symbol on an Indus Seal and its connections to Kartikeya-Murugan"

This is the dancing hall (nat-mandir or nritya mandap). From here the idol inside the temple could be seen, and dancers used to perform for the deity. As per traditional accounts, the first rays of the morning sun used to fall on a diamond affixed on the headgear of the Sun God's idol, and light up the entire sanctum.

Sculptures of dancers and musicians on the walls of the dancing hall.

All the 108 poses of Bharatnatyam are depicted in the relief carvings

A makara spout on the roof of the dancing hall to drain out rainwater. The makara is a composite animal combining attributes of an elephant, crocodile, and peacock among others. It can be seen in Buddhist monasteries, Chinese temples and Mesoamerican pyramids.

This is the entrance to the jagamohana or assembly hall (mandapa), with a stepped corbel arch. This is not the main temple. The main temple was located behind the jagamohana, but its spire has collapsed.

The Sun Temple was conceived of as the chariot of the sun god (Surya) with 24 wheels, and pulled by seven horses. The 24 wheels correspond to the 12 months of the Hindu calendar, each month having two lunar hemicycles (waxing/waning).

Each wheel is roughly 12 feet in diameter. Of the 24 wheels, 2 wheels serve as very accurate sundials.

Even the spokes of the wheels have detailed carvings

Intricate carving on the doorway.

The entrance to the temple. The jagamohana (mandapa) was filled up with rubble in 1903 to preserve the structure.

Here you can see the remnant of the main temple (vimana / bada deul) which once stood behind the jagamohana (mandapa). It is estimated to have been 229 feet high, and could be seen by ocean-going ships which referred to it as the "Black Pagoda". In contrast the mandapa which still stands is 128 feet tall.

There are three sculptures of the sun-god on three walls of the main temple, signifying the morning, mid-day and evening sun. This is the Morning Sun (Prabhata Surya) on the southern wall.

The Mid-day Sun (Madhyanha Surya) on the western wall

The Evening Sun (Astachala Surya) on the northern wall.

There are plenty of naga elements and erotic sculptures on the walls of the temple. It is believed by some scholars that the temple was built when Tantric practices had become quite popular.