Youtor
A Guide to Konark Sun Temple Odisha
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Konark The Sun Temple Massive Engineering of Orissan Architecture | UNESCO • The Sun Temple of Konarak, a monument of vivid architectural imagination, was conceived in the form of a mammoth, twelve-wheeled chariot drawn by seven galloping horses. Dedicated to Surya, the Sun-god, this temple on the coast of Orissa was built in the thirteenth century. Although the tower of the sanctuary collapsed long ago, the Konarak Sun Temple is still a monument of colossal magnificence. What remains of the Sun Temple is the porch or jagamohana, which originally shared a platform with the sanctuary, and the pillared bhoga-mandapa in front. The entire structure is covered with a wealth of intricate sculpture which pulsates with life. • The Sun Temple at Konarak represents the most evolved example of the well-defined order of Orissan temples. Erected towards the middle of the thirteenth century by the Eastern Ganga king, Narasimhadeva, it is unrivalled for its unique architecture and exquisite sculptures. The sanctum symbolizes the majestic stride of the Sun-god and marks the culmination of the Orissan architectural style. • The Sun Temple stands in majestic solitude in the midst of a vast stretch of sand. The stupendous size of this perfectly proportioned structure is matched by the endless wealth of decoration on its body - from minute patterns in bas-relief, executed with a jeweller's precision, to boldly modelled, freestanding sculptures of an exceptionally large size. Architecture and sculpture formed the intrinsically-linked spokes of the same wheel of the schematic plans of Indian temples; and this process reaches its efflorescence at Konarak. • The fame of this magnificent temple had spread far beyond the limits of Orissa by the sixteenth century. The great Vaishnava saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1533) from Bengal visited the Sun Temple while on a pilgrimage to Puri. Abul Fazl, the chronicler of the court of Akbar (1556-1605), paid tribute to its colossal grandeur when he wrote: 'Even those whose judgement is critical and who are difficult to please stand astonished at its sight'. • Architecture • The Sun Temple JL of Konarak, a monument of epic imagination, is the realisation of the creative upsurge that fired the architects of Orissa for over five hundred years, beginning in the seventh century AD. It marked the peak of efflorescence of the Orissan architectural movement and was its brightest moment. • The Main Temple was conceived as a colossal chariot with twelve pairs of wheels and drawn by seven richly caparisoned horses in spirited gallop. The whole edifice seems to symbolise the Sun-god emerging from the depth of the blue expanse. • The lavishly ornamented wheels of the divine chariot are carved against the sides of the high platform and also on two sides of the east staircase immediately in front of the main entrance to the porch. The rearing horses are sculpted against the sides of this staircase. The resemblance to a chariot ends with the wheels and horses. • Sculptural Art • The exterior walls of the Sun Temple at Konarak, from the base of the upana to the top of the gandi are embellished with an amazing amount of bold sculptures and delicate carvings, transforming the inert stone into an inspired vision of sculptural magnificence. No doubt the artisans 'built like Titans and finished like jewellers'. Despite its richness and exuberance, the sculpture does not dominate the architecture, but serves to emphasise the majesty of the temple. • The profusion of the drama of royal hunts and processions and military scenes emphasises the fact that the Sun Temple is the realisation of the dazzling dream of an ambitious and mighty king, secular to the core and with an immense zest for life. The joy of a princely life on earth and expression of the luxury and grandeur prevailing in the royal environment are writ large everywhere. The sculptors were so busy highlighting the myriad facets of royal life that they had very little scope to record the daily life of the common man. • The workmanship ranges from mediocre to excellent. Thus, the free-standing celestial nymphs on the first and second terraces of the porch are superb in execution. Pulsating with the warmth of human emotion, most of these figures exhibit a rare sensitivity. • #konarksuntemple #suntemple #heritagerepresentative #unesco
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