Fast Facts:

• Best Season: Sept - Mar
• Languages: Oriya, Hindi, English
• Weather: Summer 19 to 45°C, Winter 12 to 32°C

Konark at a Glance:

Chidabaram at a Glance : It is a small locale in Puri district, which is located in the state of Orissa. It is about 65 km away from Bhubaneshwar and is famous for its 13th century old Sun Temple and the Chandrabhaga River. The Konark’s Sun Temple is dedicated to Lord Surya. It is a masterwork of medieval architecture flourished all over Orissa. Konarak also stands for Konaditya and is derived from the words Kona means Corner and Arka means Corners of Sun. this holy place also known as Black Pagoda was built by Raja Narasinghs Deva-I in the mid 19th century. It is an ample testimony of the artistic magnificence of this period.

History and Legend of Konark Temple:

This holy place of Sun is made up of black sandstone and was built by Ganga Dynasty in 1236-1264 AD. The sanctum sanctorum of this place of worship is 229 ft. high. It was one of the earliest centers for worshipping Surya in India. Its mention even can be found in Mundira Puranas. Besides from Puranas, other mythological texts reveals towards its existence long before the current temple.

The shrine fell into disregard during early 17th century after it was dishonored by a representative of the Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor.

According to legend, the temple was built by the Samba the son of Krishna to eradicate the effect of the curse given by Krishna as punishment when he entered the bathing chamber of his consorts. After 12 years of reparation and continuous worship of Surya, he got cured.

Architecture:

The entire shrine has been formed or designed in the form of a chariot (buggy) carrying Sun God beyond the heavens. The massive convoluted wheels are the major attractions of this temple and are engraved around the foundation of the shrine. The spokes of these helms resemble sundials and the shadows or the images formed by these spokes give exact time. The roof of the temple which is of pyramidal type is made up of sandstone and soars more than 30 meters in height. The sun temple just like Khajuraho is also encapsulated with erotic sculptures.

Maituna, Lady Drummer of Sun Temple and Sacred Pond are some of the other attractions that you can observe while visiting this temple.

Celebrations:

Konark Dance Festival: In the month of December, here the famous dance festival is organized. This classical extravaganza takes the tourists to the cultural tour.

Magha Saptami: It is also known as Chandrabhaga Mela and is held in the month of February. This big event is also known to comprise Navagrha puja.

Konark Hotels:

• Lotus Resort
• Toshali Sands
• Yatrinivas Konark
• Panthanivas Konark

Ways to reach there:

Rail: Puri and Bhubaneswar are nearby railheads. These two railway stations are linked to all the main cities of India via long-distance trains.

Air: Again for air travelers Bhubaneswar and Puri are nearest airports. Jet Air, Indian Airlines, and Sahara link Bhubaneswar to Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Nagpur and Hyderabad.

Road: The buses running under Orissa State Road Transport Corporation provide links with all regions of the state. From Kolkata, Vishakhapatnam and Bijapur deluxe coach services are available.

 

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