Written By Suryansh Bagri (Grade 10)
This Easter holiday, our family finally decided to go to Puri especially to visit the Konark Sun Temple after years of me asking. I had only read articles and seen its pictures so far, and I was ready to get mesmerized by the picturesque monument and the elation it had to offer.
As I stood before the megalithic structure, I felt as if I was teleported to the 13th century. The Kalinga architecture combined with the magnificent type of stone was like a divine treat to the eyes. We had managed to reach there just before sunrise so that we could experience the infamous temple sunrise since we were staying in a nearby hotel. At the break of dawn, the temple was slowly tinted with an orange hue and transformed into its bright sunlit splendour in about twenty minutes, due to its position. The temple had 24 elaborately carved stone wheels pulled by a set of seven horses, which gives the illusion as if it were a chariot being carried by horses. It also had a working sundial and moon dial and we were amazed to see how advanced they were. The exact reason for the building of the temple by Narasimhadeva is not known. Historians have surmised that the king did so either to express his gratitude for a wish-fulfilment or to commemorate a conquest. The exterior had various sculptures and scriptures too, and it summed up the characteristics of a Hindu temple. We were also enlightened by viewing a cultural festival that had just commenced on the grounds of the temple. The decorations, the Odissi dance, and the events just added up to the culture of the temple, which portrayed up to a certain level the livelihood of the people living at that time. It was very enjoyable and amusing, and these would be the memories which we would carry back home.
The Konark Sun Temple is devoted to Surya, the Sun God and it’s fascinating how dedicated the people at that time were. After this experience, my view on life will never be the same and I will definitely visit it again once I am more mature.
Featured Image Courtesy – Wikipedia