The city of Konark is thirty three kilometers from Puri and is one of the pilgrimage sites of the golden triangle of Orissa- Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark.
Konark is a world heritage site and is also known as Konaditya. Kona means triangle and Aditya means Sun. It is a temple dedicted to Sun God built during the thirteenth century A.D. It belongs to Kalinga school of Indian temple architecture and it is also known as the black Pagoda of India.
It is a magnificent piece of human patience and fortitude and is poetry of human life in sculpture. Though it is now crumbling down and some part of it is in ruins. Inspite of this, it is worth one visit in a life time for art lovers and appreciators of beauty.
The best time to visit is at sunrise but because the mornings were misty while I was there, I started seeing the splendid place of wonder around nine in the morning. It takes only forty five minutes by car to reach Konark. I heard so many versions of its origin and reasons of downfall that I am not too well versed with its authenticity . Anyhow, I did not visit this temple to worship Sun God but to marvel at India’s ancient wisdom, art and heritage. Let us share just some of the wonderful pictures that I took on my recent visit to Konark which was once a celebrated holy city dedicated to Surya Devta or Sun God.
Next-The Stupa of world peace at Dhaulagiri near the site of Kalinga war fought by Emperor Ashoka.
Gr8 architecture !!
Fantastic….How much patience and skill it must have taken to build these.