Konark

File:Konark Sea Beach In odisha.jpg

The name Konârka is derived from the Sanskrit word Kona (meaning angle) and word Arka (meaning sun) in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun god Surya.Konârka is a combination of two words, kona (corner) and arka (Sun). {{harvnb|UNESCO|1984}}

{{Main|Konark Sun Temple}}

File:Konark Sun temple 3.jpg]]

File:Konark Temple.jpg

The Sun Temple was built in the 13th century and designed as a gigantic chariot of the Sun God, Surya, with twelve pairs of ornamented wheels pulled by seven horses. Some of the wheels are 3 metres wide. Only six of the seven horse still stand today.It is a monumental representation of the chariot of Surya pulled by a team of seven horses (six of which still exist and are placed on either side of the stairway leading to the sanctuary). {{harvnb|UNESCO|1984}} The temple fell into disuse after an envoy of Jahangir desecrated the temple in the early 17th century.The temple fell into disuse in the early 17th century after it was desecrated by an envoy of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. {{harvnb|UNESCO|1984}}

According to folklore, there was a diamond in the centre of the idol which reflected the sun rays that passed. In 1627, the then Raja of Khurda took the Sun idol from Konark to the Jagannath temple in Puri. The Sun temple belongs to the Kalingan school of Indian temple architecture. The alignment of the Sun Temple is along the east–west direction. The inner sanctum or vimana used to be surmounted by a tower or shikara but it was razed in the 19th century. The audience hall or jagamohana still stands and comprises majority of the ruins. The roof of the dance hall or natmandir has fallen off. It stands at the eastern end of the ruins on a raised platform.Further to the east, the natmandir (dance hall), today unroofed, rises on a high platform. {{harvnb|UNESCO|1984}}

In 1559, Mukunda Gajapati came to throne in Cuttack. He aligned himself as an ally of Akbar and an enemy of the Sultan of Bengal, Sulaiman Khan Karrani. After a few battles, Odisha finally fell. The fall was also aided by the internal turmoil of the state. In 1568, the Konark temple was damaged by the army of Kalapahad, a general of the Sultan.{{cite book|last=Patnaik|first=Durga Prasad|title=Palm Leaf Etchings of Odisha|year=1989|publisher=Abhinav Publications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=90_qAeMT1bwC&q=Konark&pg=PA4|access-date=25 October 2012|page=4|isbn=9788170172482}} Kalapahad is also said to be responsible for damages to several other temples during the conquest.

As of 2011 India census,{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=16 June 2004|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=1 November 2008|publisher= Census Commission of India}} Konark had a population of 16,779. Males constitute 8,654 (52%) of the population and females 8,125 (48%).As of 2001 Census Konark has an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 64%, and female literacy is 49%. In Konark, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

• Konark temple: listed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, the temples of Konark are the main attractions, providing a glimpse into the finest achievement of a lost masonry style.
• Chandrabhaga beach: one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in Odisha, it is the place of action for a lot of the legends behind Konark.
• Sun Temple Museum:{{cite web |title=Konark Sun Temple Museum |url=http://www.thekonark.in/konarkmuseum.html |website=www.thekonark.in |access-date=12 February 2019}} run by the Archaeological Survey of India, the museum houses many of the artefacts from the temple.

Konark can be reached via a number of routes:

1. Reach Bhubaneswar either by Flight or Train, and then take a bus or a taxi to Konark (64 km from Bhubaneswar).
2. Reach Puri by Train (Puri is well-connected to the rest of India), and then take a bus or a taxi to Konark (34 km from Puri).

File:Plan-temple-konarak.png|Original structure. Existing structure is in the dark.

File:Sun temple - 12.jpg|Image of Lord Surya, riding a horse

File:Konark3.jpg|Temple Arts

File:Konark4.jpg|Temple Arts

File:Konark5.jpg|Temple Arts

File:Konark6.jpg|Temple Arts

File:Konark7.jpg|Temple Arts

File:Konark Temple at Night.jpg

File:Konark_Temple_at_Night.jpg

• Biranchi Narayan Sun Temple{{Cite web|url=https://www.konark.org/how-to-reach-konark.html|title=How To Reach Konark | Getting To Konark | Reaching Konark | Traveling to Konark | Konark travels | Konark India | Orissa travel | Orissa konark temple|website=www.konark.org|access-date=20 September 2020}}
• Chari Kshetra
• Konark Express
• Konark Dance Festival

{{Reflist}}

• G.C. Chauley, Sun Temple of Konark: History and Preservation {{ISBN|978-81-86867-73-0}}
• Ranjan Kumar Singh, Surya: The God and His Abode {{ISBN|81-903561-7-8}}

{{Commons category|Konark}}

• [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/246/ Konark, World Heritage Site, UNESCO]
• [http://www.konark.nic.in Konark (Official Site), Tourism Department, Government of Odisha]
• [https://www.heritagetoursorissa.com/konark-sun-temple/ Konark Sun Temple - Heritage Tours Odisha (Recognised by Odisha Tourism & Ministry of Tourism Government of India)]
• {{Wikivoyage-inline}}.

{{Puri district}}

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Category:Tourism in Odisha

Category:Cities and towns in Puri district

Category:Hindu holy cities

Category:Hindu pilgrimage sites in India

Category:Puri district