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Konark - The Destination
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The sacred city of Konark is
an important destination of the Golden Triangle
circuit of Eastern India besides Bhubaneswar
and Puri. The Sun Temple remains the
landmark of Konark for which the city is renowned
throughout the world. The city of Konark is
a visual masterpiece.
The solitary Sun Temple is a masterpiece surrounded
by the moving sands. The theme of worshipping
the sun god is central to India. The presiding
deity Konarka , kona (corner)
and arka (sun) , renders
its
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name to the temple.The Sun Temple
has been designed in the form of a huge chariot carrying
the Sun God across the heavens. The wheels of the
chariot are most awesome of the structure. The temple
is believed to have been constructed by Narasimhadev
I in the mid-13th century.
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You can spend an entire day exploring the richness
of the ancient art and architecture of this
grand temple. For enjoying the pleasant breeze
you may take a stroll along the beach, which
is at a distance of 3 kilometers from the temple.
You can either walk down or hire a bicycle or
cycle-rickshaw to reach the beach. You will
definitely enjoy the walk along the beach, which
promises to be a pleasant experience.
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Although the main sanctum is in
ruins, the 39 metre high audience hall, the dance
hall and the ruined temple of Chhaya Devi are still
there. Two horses and two monolithic elephants, exhibit
the dynamism of the sculpture. A special character
of the Konark temple is that the carvings cover both
the inner and the outer surfaces.
Konark has been exposed to the salty air of the nearby
sea for over 7 centuries, lying about without any
symptom or rust - this is proof of the scientific
genius of the Oriya builders in medieval times.
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