Konark Sun temple

Sun Temple of Konark-

• It is a masterpiece of Odisha’s medieval architecture and one of India’s most famous Brahman sanctuaries.
• It is also known as the Black Pagoda (due to its dark color).
• It was used as a navigational landmark by ancient sailors to Odisha. 
• It is located in the eastern State of Odisha near the sacred city of Puri and is dedicated to the Sun God or Surya. 
• It is attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty about 1250 CE.
• The temple is a monumental representation of the sun God Surya’s chariot.
• There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple, which represent either 24 hours or 12 months.
• The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week.

• The  temple was declared a world heritage by UNESCO in 1984.
• The Konark is the third link of Odisha’s Golden Triangle, first link being Jagannath Puri and the second link being Bhubaneswar (Capital city of Odisha).
• The Sun Temple is the culmination of Odisha style of Architecture or Kalinga architecture, with all its defining elements in complete and perfect form. 
• It is oriented towards the east so that the first rays of the sunrise strike the main entrance. 
• The temple, built from Khondalite rocks, was originally constructed at the mouth of the river Chandrabhaga, but the waterline has receded since then.
• The Konark Sun Temple complex has ruins of many subsidiary shrines and monuments around the main temple. Some of these include: Mayadevi Temple, Vaishnava Temple, Kitchen, Well 1 and Well 2.
• It is a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, who gather here every year for the Chandrabhaga Mela around the month of February.
• Konark Sun Temple is depicted on the reverse side of the Indian currency note of 10 rupees to signify its importance to Indian cultural heritage.