The Konark Sun Temple is unique for its rich architecture and the interesting facts behind it. From devotees to travelers, the temple has seen a rush of people from every part of the world. The Konark Sun Temple is one such wonder which you would find very interesting. The name Konark itself is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘kona’ and ‘ark’ which mean ‘angle’ and ‘the Sun’ respectively, and the temple is dedicated to Sun God Surya.

12 pairs of wheels

The 12 wheels of the Konark Sun Temple, carved in stone, represent the 12 months of a year. These wheels are found at the base of the temple, and also show the exact time, as per the Sun’s shadow. The spokes of the wheel form a sundial. The exact time of day can be calculated by looking at the shadow cast by the wheels.

The Spokes of Each Wheel

Each structure in the Konark Sun Temple represents the passage of time. Each wheel here has 8 spokes, each representing a ‘prahar’ which is a 3-hour period, adding up to 24 hours (1 day).

Seven Horses

The temple is shaped in the form of a huge sun chariot. This chariot is drawn by 7 horses, which represent the seven days of a week.

Depiction of Wealth and Power

At the entrance of the Sun Temple, you can find two lions at either side of the entrance, that are seen crushing an elephant each. Beneath each elephant is a human being. Here, the lion represents power and the elephant portrays wealth. The whole statue symbolizes the major problems faced by man in his life — money and power. By looking at them, it becomes clear how both these vices can crush a human being.

Apart from these, there are a few facts, which have no realistic relevance, but have turned into popular folklore of the region. These facts, in fact, have increased the mystery of the temple architecture, and are quite interesting for travelers seeking knowledge through travel.

As per the Brahma Purana, Bhubaneshwar is designed as Ekamra Kshetra, a Hindu sacred city based upon the principles of Mandala are still evident. The temples of Ekamarakshetra have been built as per the principles of Silpa Sastras. The Konark Sun Temple is also an outstanding and unique proof of this. The Sun God Surya was worshiped at the center of the Mandala.

The position of the main temple and the Sun God have been aligned in such a way that the first ray of the sun from the coast would cross the Nata Mandir (Dancing Hall) and would fall and reflect from the diamond placed at the crown of the Sun God.

According to legend, the statue of the Sun God inside the temple was built of a material with iron content and was believed to be floating in air, without any physical support, due to the unique arrangements of the top magnet, the bottom magnet and the reinforced magnets around the temple walls.

The temple is a perfect example of magnetic vibrations and contains pure vibrations of magnetic and electric fields with positive energy. The main idol is placed in the center of the temple, known as Garbhagriha. It is believed that there are some copper plates, inscribed with Vedic scripts, buried beneath the main idol. The copper plate absorbs earth’s magnetic waves and radiates it to the surroundings. Thus a person regularly visiting the temple and walking around the main idol receives the magnetic waves and his body absorbs it. Scientifically, it is the positive energy that we all require to have a healthy life. In olden days, temples were built in such a way that the floor at the center of the temple acted as good conductors of these positive vibrations allowing them to pass through our feet to the body. Hence it is necessary to walk barefoot while entering the temple.

It has always been a fact that the construction of temples is based on both art and science, on the basis of thousands of years of research and development. The knowledge and skills of the construction techniques were passed from generation to generation among the temple architects. Although the elements of Indian temples may differ across regions, the real motive was derived from a single philosophy of design. All small and large Hindu temples built since historic times have been following the same philosophy. The Shipshastra along with other general perspectives on Hindu architecture are still religiously followed for the construction of the sacred Hindu temples and The Sun Temple in Konark is not different .

The Scientific Architecture of Konark

The Ancient Science which was a marble of Architecture