Konark Sun Temple

The Konark Sun Temple in Odisha is a 13th-century temple dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. It is designed in the form of a beautifully decorated chariot mounted on 24 wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, and drawn by 7 mighty horses. 

Konark Temple

These wheels located at the base of the temple tell time as well – the spokes of the wheels create a sundial.

 

This beautiful wheel, one of 24, also works as a sundial

The entire temple is covered with sculpture consisting of deities, dancers, scenes of life at court, etc. 'Konark' or 'Kon'(corner) and 'Ark' (Sun) has been a World Heritage Site since 1984.

Beautiful carvings of the Konark Temple.

Detailed carvings - dieties, dancers etc

It was built by King Narasinghdev, with the help of 1200 artisans within a period of 12 years. The main idol was said to have been floating in air without any physical support due to the arrangement of magnets, with the lodestone at the top of the temple a massive 52-ton magnet. The temple subsequently got destroyed with the removal of the top magnet either because it was causing interference to the ships’ compass passing in the sea nearby, or by some marauding king. But it is generally said that the worshiping of the Sun god never occurred.

The Konark Sun temple has two huge lions on either side of the entrance, each lion shown crushing an elephant. Beneath each elephant lies the human body. Lion represents pride and elephant represents money. 

At the entrance of Konark Temple, the lion on the elephant, on the human

There are three images of the Sun God at three different sides of the temple, positioned in proper direction to catch the rays of the sun at morning, noon and evening.

The ‘Aruna Stambh’, named after Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun God, is a high monolith standing on a grand pedestal. It was originally erected at the Sun Temple in Konark, and in the 18th century it was shifted to its current location by the Marathas.
An interesting tale (fact or fiction?) about the construction and destruction of the Sun temple can be found at https://www.myindiamyglory.com/.../konark-sun-temple.../