Konark Sun Temple, Hindu sun temple in Konark, India
The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun temple in Konark, Odisha, built as a stone chariot for Surya. Its surviving jagamohana rises about 39 metres, with 24 carved wheels nearly 3.7 metres across and a single horse remaining of the seven. The stone is khondalite and chlorite, with a projecting porch whose niches hold carved figures.
Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty had the temple built around 1250 CE; the palm-leaf Baya Chakada records twelve years of construction, with stone dressed along a channel of the Chandrabhaga and floated to the site. A 1610 drawing from Khurda shows the temple complete with its Aruna pillar. British India-era archaeological teams later partly restored the ruins, and UNESCO listed the site in 1984.
Visitors today come mainly to see the monument and walk among the carvings of deities, dancers and animals that cover the stone. The reliefs tell stories of sun worship and show scenes from everyday life in medieval Orissa that remain easy to recognize.
The temple lies about 35 kilometers (22 miles) from Puri and opens daily from sunrise to sunset. Comfortable shoes are recommended since the grounds are large and require walking to see all the sections properly.
The 24 wheels of the chariot double as sundials and tell the time through the shadows cast by their spokes. This function depends on the precise arrangement of the carvings and the orientation of the structure.
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