Konark Sun Temple

The Konark Sun Temple:

Konark Sun Temple

The thirteenth-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), built-in Orissa red sandstone (Khandolite) and black granite by King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Ganga dynasty. A World Heritage Site, the temple provides an exceptional look at India's religious heritage.

The Konark Sun Temple had been built as one of the finest examples of Brahmin architecture and beliefs. Built to honor the Sun God, Arka, the temple complex displays the enormous wealth, talent, and spirituality of the Brahmin in Orissa. Hinduism, the world's oldest continuously practiced religion, presents a mixture of the spiritually sublime and the earthly erotic in the Konark Temple.



The temple is believed to celebrate the glory of the Ganga Dynasty and the king's triumph over Muslim rulers of Bengal. Its many sculptures depicting war scenes and the king's activities support this.

However, it remained a mystery as to how the temple was built until the 1960s when an old palm-leaf manuscript was discovered. Its full set of 73 leaves comprehensively chronicled the temple's planning and 12 years of construction (from 1246 to 1258). The information is documented in a book, published in 1972, called New Light on Sun Temple of Konarka by Alice Boner, S. R. Sarma, and R. P. Das.

What to See

The Sun Temple complex consists of two main parts -- a dance pavilion (Natya mandapa), and assembly hall (jagamohana) with pidha deula roof on the same platform as the remains of the shrine's rekha deula tower. There's also a separate dining hall (bhoga mandapa) to the left side of the complex and two smaller temples to the rear.

The main entrance leads to the dance pavilion, guarded by two imposing stone lions crushing war elephants. The roof of the pavilion no longer remains. However, it's 16 intricately carved pillars showing dance poses are a highlight.


The audience hall and shrine form the chariot, with the wheels and horses carved on either side of its platform. The wheels are all the same size but each has different motifs on it. The rims are adorned with nature scenes, while the medallions in the spokeshave women in most erotic poses. Notably, the wheels function as sundials that can accurately calculate the time.


The sprawling, world-class Konark Interpretation Center has five galleries with interactive exhibits and multimedia displays. The galleries are devoted to the history, culture, and architecture of Odisha, as well as sun temples across the world. An interesting film about the Konark Sun Temple is also screened in the auditorium.



If you're interested in classical Odissi dance, don't miss the Konark Festival, which is held at the temple during the first week of December each year. The International Sand Art Festival takes place at Chandrabhaga beach, near the temple, at the same time as this festival. There are another classical music and dance festival in Konark in late February.

Unfortunately, the Sun Temple's grandeur didn't last. It fell into ruin and the massive rekha deula tower that covered the shrine's inner sanctum eventually collapsed. Although the exact time and cause of the destruction remain unknown, there are plenty of theories about it such as invasion and natural disaster.



Connectivity to Konark Sun Temple

Bhubaneswar airport is the nearest airport that is well linked and has regular flights from all parts of the country. This airport is at a distance of 64 km from Konark.

The railway stations closest to Konark are there in the twin cities of Puri and Bhubaneswar.

An extensive road network connects Konark with the rest of India via National as well as State Highways.


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