The Konarak temple also marks the culmination of the temple building architecture in Orissa. Apart from the depiction of the stone wheels and the caparisoned horses drawing the colossal chariot of Sun God, the Konarak Temple is a typical example of the Orissan temple architecture. The temple is not different from those of other regions.
The eastern gateway which is the main entrance to the temple compound, is decorated with Gajasimha (Lion upon an elephant) images, with outward faces, installed on two high stone-benches on either side of the passage.
This picture is not of a sundial. It is an intricate representation of the Dharmachakra, or Wheel of Sun, Konark
The wheels of the chariot are also symbolic and have been interpreted as the 'Wheel of Life'. They portray the cycle of creation, preservation and achievement of realisation. The diameter of each of the wheels is about nine(2.73 metres) feet and each of them has a set eight equal parts. They are elaborately carved all over. The thicker ones are all carved with circular medallions at their centres on the widest part of the face. The axels of the wheels project by about one foot from the surface, having similar decorations at their ends. The rims are carved with designs of foliages with various birds and animals, whereas the medallions in the spokes are carved with the figures of women in various luxurious poses, mostly of erotic nature.
The nata mandir in front of the Jagamohana is exquisitely carved with the images of dancers, flora and foliage, men in armor, and creatively eroticism.
There are three images of the Sun God (earlier four) at the top, facing each direction to catch the rays of the sun at dawn, noon and sunset.
The figures of elephants which had originally stood on the side walls of the flights of steps at the northern and southen sides of the Jagamohana, were found amidst the confused mass of debris.
The Melakkadambur Shiva temple, built in the form of a chariot during the age of Kulottunga Chola I (1075-1120), is the earliest of this kind, and is still in a well preserved state. [Note: Kulottunga Chola is also credited with having built the Suryanaar temple near Kumbhakonam.]
There is a small museum outside the temple compound run by Archaelogical Survey of India, which stores the sculpture from the temple ruins. It remains open from 9.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M. of Saturday to Thursday. Friday is closed. Entry is free of cost.
To the south west of the Sun temple there is the temple of Goddess Ramachandi. There are, however, difference of opinion about the presiding deity of this temple. It has been surmised by some that this was the temple of Mayadevi, wife of Surya (Sun god) while others opine that it was the earlier Sun temple in which Sun was being worshipped.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Konark
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Konark - updated May 2024
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Konark Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
