Konark Sun Temple is a Sun temple at Konark about 35 kilometres from Puri on the coastline of Odisha, India. The temple is attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty about 1250 CE.
The archeological society of india maintains the structure and was under renovation when i visited it two years back.
As you can see here , the temple needs significant repair.
The temple is made of a softer stone compared to the temples in the south. It makes carving easier , however it does suffer when it comes to standing the ravages of time.
Thats me at the wheel. It will given idea of the massive size of the temple.
The temple has Tantric Roots. The idea of divine eroticism and sex magic were very prevalent back then. Today its more of Art ! To the best of my knowledge given the state of the temple in terms of fragility, worship here has been stopped a long time ago. Now the place is purely a tourist attraction.
This will give you an idea of the scale of the temple and also the extensive repairs being undertaken by the govt of india . These days the temple restricts people from climbing the top. And my guess is its gonna be that way from now onwards. Those who were lucky to have been at the top of the temple will now forever cherish that view.
Surrounding Areas are quite green and garden like. A good place to take a walk, or just chill.
Definitely worth a Visit. The Architecture is Breathtaking ! Anyone visiting the east cost of India will find this temple as a pretty important stop on the way.
