When was konark temple constructed

The temple is said to symbolize the passage of time, which is assumed to be governed by the Sun God. The set of horses is meant to represent the seven days of the week, while the 12 pairs of wheels reference the 12 months of the year.

Just beyond the porch is a double staircase that leads to a shrine containing a marvelous statue of the Sun God, which is carved out beautifully. Multifarious images can be seen on the walls of the temple that pose animals such as snakes, giraffes, elephants, etc. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. To allow us to provide a better and more tailored experience please click "OK".

Sign Up. Travel Guides. Videos Beyond Hollywood Hungerlust Pioneers of love. Things to Do. And if you want to spend your time noticing the intricacies of the carvings on the chariot, standing out in the sun all day long can be exhausting. As for the timings, the Konark Sun Temple is open from 6 am to 10 pm. From parking to the temple, you can either walk to the chariot or take a shared auto. In fact, your Orissa tour package should include a visit to both of these temples!

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Notify me of new posts by email. Reading Time: 9 minutes Of all the places to visit in Orissa , there is one place in particular that stands out the most. History The name Konark is made of two Sanskrit words: Kona, meaning corner, and arka, meaning sun. Significance Many Hindu scriptures mention Konark as an important place for worshipping the sun.

Architecture The inside of Konark Temple is as glorious and magnificent as it is made to be. Magnificence Personified Besides the horses and wheels at Konark, you can also view the gorgeous and intricately carved reliefs of dancers, musicians, animals, and some erotic figures on the plinth of the temple. When should you visit the Konark Sun Temple? Veena World We are an Indian travel company founded in and excel at domestic and international tour packages including guided group tours, specialty tours, customized holidays, corporate MICE travel, inbound travel and destination weddings.

Facebook Twitter Instagram. Leave a Comment Cancel Your email address will not be published. Looking for something? Nestled on the east coast of the Bay of Bengal, the Sun Temple in Konark is one of the most spectacular sights that await you in Odisha.

The 13 th -century temple complex is designed as a colossal ornamented stone chariot led by seven stone horses and is dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. Also known as the Black Pagoda, the temple is an incredible masterpiece of architecture that attracts tourists, historians, and archeologists from all over the world. In this blog, we have compiled all the details about Konark Sun Temple, including its history, architecture, timings, visitor info, and other details. Konark Sun Temple dates back to AD.

The construction of the temple is credited to King Narasimhadeva I, a warrior and monarch of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.

This giant temple was built near an old temple dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. Inscriptions dating back to the era indicate that the sculpture in that older temple was re-consecrated into the new temple. It is believed that this elaborately carved temple was built over a period of 12 and with the help of 12, artisans.

Several ancient texts eulogize the marvelous beauty of Konark Sun Temple, which was an active place of worship until at least the middle of the 16 th century.

It is not clear as to what caused its large-scale destruction to the extent that the main temple structure was completely ruined. Some historians suggest that the temple was damaged due to natural causes while some others imply that the temple was intentionally damaged by Muslim invaders, mainly Kalapahad, a general of Gour Sultanate.

Whatever be the cause, the temple suffered extensive damage between and During the last part of the 18 th century, an ornamented pillar called Aruna Stambha was relocated from Konark Sun Temple to the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, which stands there to this day. The existing portion of the temple was partially restored by the archaeological teams of the British-era. The Sun Temple in Konark exhibits the traditional Odisha style of architecture, also known as Kalinga architecture, on a grand scale.

It is designed as a massive chariot mounted on 12 pairs of intricately carved giant stone wheels that are drawn by a set of seven mighty stone horses. The temple is built with such a fine slant towards the east that the first rays of the rising sun illuminate the main entrance. This main entrance is ornamented with two huge stone lions standing on both sides. Both these lions are shown as trampling an elephant and a man beneath. The temple complex spreads over 26 acres of land.

Three kinds of stones were used in its construction, namely Chlorite, Laterite, and Khondalite rocks. The original temple consisted of the main sanctuary, called Bada Deul or Rekha Deul, which was surrounded by other smaller structures.

In front of the main sanctuary stood another smaller sanctum called the Bhadra Deul or the assembly hall of the people.