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 The Sun Temple at Konark marks the zenith of Orissa's temple architecture that was structurally innovative and visually enticing. The Konark Temple also marked the beginning of the end of the art and architectural style that would give Orissa a unique identity in a world full of copycats.
Tourism of Orissa offers tours to Orissa Temples including the astounding religious monument at Konark that will get your spirits soaring and the remainder of your physicality gushing with wonder and a sense of reverence.
Built by King Narasimhadeva in the 13th century to mark his victory over the Mughal invaders, the Konark Temple is a colossal structure that now stands in ruins amidst the shifting sands. Once a shore temple built along the Bay of Bengal, the sea has shifted 2 km away from its earlier position making the Chandrabhaga Beach apt for picnics, swimming, boating and relaxing after your tour to Konark Temple in Orissa with Tourism of Orissa tour packages.
The Konark Temple devoted to the worship of Sun God was built in the shape of a chariot carrying the Sun God drawn by seven horses across the heavens. The images of the Sun God in boots typical of Babylonian civilization depict the influence of Aryan philosophy on the emergence and evolution of Oriyan school of temple architecture. You can study the detailed temple art of the Konark Temple on your tour to Orissa Temples with Tourism of Orissa tour packages.
According to the folklore however, the temple is believed to be a creation of Lord Krishna's son Samba whom he had cursed with leprosy to punish him for the crime of peeping at his stepmothers bathing at a pond. Krishna later discovered that his son was innocent of the crime and that an enraged sage, extracting revenge for his insult, had tricked him. Samba, it is said, worshipped Surya for 12 years on the beaches of Konark and once cured of the disease, Samba built the Sun Temple in honor of Surya.
The main tower (227 feet), that once served as a navigational tool for merchants and later for the Brits, now lives in the collective memory of the people in Orissa. Referred to as the 'Black Pagoda', the Konark Temple - other than its chariot shape - shares a lot in common with the other prominent temples of Orissa namely Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri and Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneswar.
The Konark Temple is raised on a platform adorned with massive wheels of the chariot that have become instantly recognizable with Orissa's artistic depth. The porch (jagmohana) is 120 feet tall and is adorned with tableaux drawn from the lives of the ordinary and the royal men. There are images of Gods and Goddesses, mythical creatures with non-human features, dancers and musicians, women and men socializing at many levels that are carved of soft and weathered Khondalite.
You can see for yourself these images covering the length and breath of the temple complex, along with the three contrasting images of Surya carved out metallic green chlorite stone to convey a state of equilibrium, on your tour to the Konark Temple in Orissa, with tourism of Orissa tour packages.
The temple complex also has three subsidiary temples built at a level below the collapsed main tower. The Vaishnava Temple and the Mayadevi Temple are the two surviving shrines in the temple complex that you ought to visit on your tour to Konark Temple, Orissa. The other surviving structure at the Konark Temple complex is the Natya Mandira (dance hall) where the Devdasis performed to appease the gods.
Adorned with miniature to life like to mammoth images whether standalone or in tableaux, Konark Temple is a must visit on your tour to Orissa Temples.
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