Sun temple
The Sun Temple’s authenticity of form and design is maintained
in full through the surviving edifices, their placement within the complex,
structures and the integral link of sculpture to architecture. The various attribute
of the Sun Temple, including its structures, sculptures, ornamentation and
narratives, are maintained in their original forms and material. Its setting
and location are maintained in their original form, near the shore of the Bay
of Bengal. In preserving the attributes as stated, the Sun Temple, Konârak
repeatedly evokes the strong spirit and feeling associated with the structure,
which is manifested today in the living cultural practices related to this
property, such as the Chandrabhanga festival.
The temple follows the traditional style of Kalinga
architecture. It is oriented towards the east so that the first rays of the
sunrise strike the main entrance. The temple, built from Khondalite rocks was
originally constructed at the mouth of the river Chandrabhaga, but the
waterline has receded since then. The wheels of the temple are sundials, which
can be used to calculate time accurately to a minute.
According to the Madala Panji, there was at one time another
temple in the region built by Pundara Kesari. He may have been Puranjaya, the
7th-century ruler of the Somavasmi Dynasty.
The walls of the temple from the temple's base through the
crowning elements are ornamented with reliefs, many finished to jewelry-quality
miniature details. The terraces contain stone statues of male and female
musicians holding various musical instruments including the vina, mardala, gini.
Other major works of art include sculptures of Hindu deities, apsaras and
images from the daily life and culture of the people (artha and dharma scenes),
various animals, aquatic creatures, birds, legendary creatures, and friezes
narrating the Hindu texts. The carvings include purely decorative geometric
patterns and plant motifs.
The reasons for the collapse of the deul and the shikhara are
not as yet known. It is believed that it occurred due to 'the subsidence of the
foundation, while others speak of an earthquake or lightning; yet others doubt
if the temple was ever completed'. The main belief is that the temple crumbled
gradually, as the use of poor quality khondalite led to the temple’s eventual
decay. Many people attribute the beginning of this process to the attack by
Islamic invaders.
The Sun Temple, Konârak is protected under the National
Framework of India by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and
Remains (AMASR) Act and its Rules . Other relevant protective legislation
includes the Forest Act, Konârak Development Act and notified Council Area Act.
Under the AMASR Act, a zone 100 metres outside the property and a further zone
200 metres outside the property constitute, respectively, prohibited and
regulated zones for development or other similar activity that may have adverse
effects on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. All conservation programmers
are undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India through its national,
regional and local representatives. There are five management-related plans:
safety, environment, master planning, environmental development and tourism.
World Heritage funding was received to carry out an assessment of structural
stability. Sustaining the Outstanding Universal Value of the property over time
will require continuing the structural and material conservation of the main
Jagamohana structure and its sculptures; establishing a stronger functional
integration of local and central authorities; including the larger landscape
setting into the regulated area for development; and addressing the identified
threats related to development pressure, environmental pressure, tourism
pressure, natural disasters, and local population growth.
The Konark Sun temple is dedicated to the Hindu sun god Surya
and conceived as a giant stone chariot with 12 wheels, it is the most famous of
the few sun temples built in India. It is located about 35 km northeast of the
city of Puri on the coastline in the state of Odisha (earlier Orissa). It was
built c. 1250 CE by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty (8th
century CE - 15th century CE). The temple in its present state was declared by
UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 1984 CE. Although many portions are now in
ruins, what remains of the temple complex continues to draw not only tourists
but also Hindu pilgrims. Konarak stands as a classic example of Hindu temple
architecture, complete with a colossal structure, sculptures and art work on
myriad themes. Numerous poems, stories, and novels have been written about
Konark, most of which explore or expand or reinterpret the tragedies inherent
in the legends and stories around the temple.
Dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya, what remains of the temple
complex has the appearance of a 100-foot (30 m) high chariot with immense
wheels and horses, all carved from stone. Once over 200 feet (61 m) high much
of the temple is now in ruins, in particular the large shikara tower over the
sanctuary; at one time this rose much higher than the mandapa that remains. The
structures and elements that have survived are famed for their intricate
artwork, iconography, and themes, including erotic kama and mithuna scenes.
Also called the Surya Devalaya, it is a classic illustration of the Odisha
style of Architecture or Kalinga Architecture.
The outer walls of the shrine is highly decorated. The base and
walls of the shrine and hall are divided into several stretches with unique carvings.
The Pitha or adhisthana, the base has the two square members called Bhat
followed by a cyma recta carving (lower part convex and upper part concave). It
is followed by padma or padmaka, the molding in form of an inverted lotus. The
next is antarita, a fillet or an astragal with a sharp edge between two
recesses. Above this is patta having thin molding called chhaja at its lower
edge. The next is another chhaja separated by neck, alinga. The next broad
band, patti, is gajathara carved with elephants. The following band narathara
has figures of men in different attitudes.
In 1859, the Asiatic Society of Bengal proposed, and in 1867
attempted to relocate an architrave of the Konark temple depicting the
navagraha to the Indian Museum in Calcutta. This attempt was abandoned as funds
had run out.
In 1894, thirteen
sculptures were moved to the Indian Museum. Local Hindu population objected to
further damage and removal of temple ruins. The government issued orders to
respect the local sentiments. In 1903, when a major excavation was attempted
nearby, the then-Lieutenant governor of Bengal, J. A. Baurdilon, ordered the
temple to be sealed and filled with sand to prevent the collapse of the
Jagamohana. The Mukhasala and Nata Mandir were repaired by 1905.
The cause of the destruction of the Konark temple is unclear and
remains a source of controversy. Theories range from natural damage to
deliberate destruction of the temple in the course of being sacked several
times by Muslim armies between the 15th and 17th centuries. This temple was
called the "Black Pagoda" in European sailor accounts as early as
1676 because its great tower appeared black. Similarly, the Jagannath Temple in
Puri was called the "White Pagoda". Both temples served as important
landmarks for sailors in the Bay of Bengal. The temple that exists today was
partially restored by the conservation efforts of British India-era
archaeological teams. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984.
The next is the beginning of the shaft. It is first decorated with standing
figures, mostly dancers, on all eight faces enclosed in ringed pilasters. The
next band with scenes of men and beasts is separated from it by the round
pillow-like band. It is followed by a still smaller band with sixteen standing
human figures separated by small annulet below. The next is a band of leaves.
Then the shaft becomes circular and had three or four bands having a row of
male warriors, lozenges, circles and kirtimukha at last. The kirtimukhas are
separated by chain and bell ornamentation.
In the last quarter of the 18th century, the Aruna stambha
(Aruna pillar) was removed from the entrance of Konark temple and placed at the
Singha-dwara (Lion's Gate) of the Jagannath temple in Puri by a Maratha
Brahmachari named Goswain (or Goswami). The pillar, made of monolithic
chlorite, is 33 feet 8 inches (10.26 m) tall and is dedicated to Aruna, the
charioteer of the Sun god.
The Eastern Gangas established their kingdom in the Kalinga
region in eastern India (present-day Odisha state) at “the beginning of the
eighth century CE” (Tripathi, 368), though their fortunes rose from the
eleventh century CE onwards. The greatest king of this dynasty was Anantavarman
Chodaganga (1077 - 1147 CE), who ruled for about 70 years. He was not only a
formidable warrior but also a patron of arts, and greatly favored temple
building. The great temple of the god Jagannatha at Puri, begun by him, 'stands
as a brilliant monument to the artistic vigor and prosperity of Orissa during
his reign'. His successors continued the tradition, with the most notable being
Narasimhadeva I, who not only completed the construction of the Jagannatha
temple but also the temple at Konarak.
Pairs of animals were also made to guard the three staircases of
the porch in different directions, and are regarded as masterpieces of the
sculptural art of the Odisha region. These include two rampant lions standing
on crouching elephants in the east, gaily decorated and harnessed elephants to
the north and two beautifully caparisoned warhorses to the south. The elephants
and horses have since been re-installed on new pedestals, only a few metres
distant from the original locations, and now face the porch. The
lions-on-elephants now lie to the front of the eastern stairs of the
bhoga-mandapa. Though covered with plaster, the original colour of these
sculptures was dark red patches of which are still visible.
The image of the presiding deity or Surya has also never been
found and hence it is not known as to what shape, form or size it originally
was. The speculation surrounding it again gives voice to many beliefs,
including its destruction or removal to the Jagannatha temple. The loss of the
deity caused the temple to be neglected, eventually causing its decay.
Sculptures at Konarak Sun Temple by Conservation activities
picked up speed from 1900 CE onwards after Lt. Governor John Woodburn
'initiated the launch of a well-planned campaign to save the temple at any cost
by adopting suitable measures' . Since 1939, CE the Archaeological Survey of
India has been conserving and maintaining the site. Hence, the temple appears
more as the dream of a king who wanted his name and his secular deeds
immortalized, but who also wanted to prove himself a devotee, like all other
Indian kings. The artisans, while showcasing this element primarily, also
depicted the religious aspect well. No doubt, the Konarak temple even in its
ruined state stands majestically and bears witness to the architectural and
artistic skills of the period as they stood in medieval Odisha, and India in
general. The building process was a continuation of centuries of temple
architecture begun from the Gupta period (3rd century CE to 6th century CE).
The students of art, architecture, history and archaeology can find Konarak a
knowledge-rich place. Today, this site is not only popular with tourists and
pilgrims, but also serves as a venue for cultural festivals, classical Indian
dance performances, etc. Thus, even today the Sun Temple continues to play its
role in preserving and furthering India’s immense cultural heritage. Related
Content Books Cite This Work License Editorial Review This article has been
reviewed for accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards prior to
publication.
Twice as wide as they were high, the walls of the Jagamohana is
100 feet (30 m) tall. The surviving structure has three tiers of six pidas
each. These diminish incrementally and repeat the lower patterns. The pidas are
divided into terraces. On each of these terraces stand statues of musician
figures. The main temple and the jagamohana porch consist of four main zones:
the platform, the wall, the trunk, and the crowning head called a mastaka. The
first three are square while the mastaka is circular. The main temple and the
jagamohana differed in size, decorative themes, and design. It was the main
temple's trunk, called the gandhi in medieval Hindu architecture texts, that
was ruined long ago. The sanctum of the main temple is now without a roof and
most of the original parts.
Railway
the nearest railway station is PURI Railway Station which distance is 45 Km
or
Bhubaneswar Railway Station which distance is 60 Km
Road Map
it is 60 Km distance from Bhubaneswar
and
45 Km distance from Puri
one can go Puri via Sun temple and distance will be 60 + 45=105 KM
know more about Archaeological Survey of India: https://conceptofculture.blogspot.com/2020/08/archaeological-survey-of-india.html
The different classes of sacrifices can be achieved by
sacrificing a certain amount of money spent on a specific class. Those amounts
and powers gained are listed below. know about Buddhism in orissa:
A LONG DRIVE CUTTACK TO PURI (SRI LORD JAGANNATH TEMPLE) VIA KONARK (SUN TEMPLE): MARINE DRIVE: READ MORE: https://conceptofculture.blogspot.com/2020/12/konark-to-puri.html
Second Konark Sun temple can not construct: read more: https://conceptofculture.blogspot.com/2020/12/ancient-sun-temple.html
