Konark Sun Temple is located near Puri. This temple is dedicated to the Sun God. The shape of the Sun Temple represents the chariot of Lord Surya, in which 24 chariot wheels and 7 horses are seen to lead. This temple is very beautiful to see and is also world famous.
According to the mythology, it is said that Lord Krishna's son Shamb had developed leprosy due to curse. He was advised by the Sage Kattack to worship the sun god to avoid this curse. Shamb did penance for twelve years at Konark at the confluence of the Chandrabhaga River at Mitravan and pleased the Sun God and gets cured.
This huge grand structure was built by King Narasimhadeva I of the Ganga Empireduring 1250 A.D. In 1243 A.D., a great war ensued between Narasimha Dev I and Tugan Khan and Narasimha Dev won in it. To celebrate this victory, he was keen to build a temple. There used to be a beautiful city near the Chandrabhaga river which was the main centre of a trade. Not only this, but the material needed to build the temple was easily accessible through the river, so Narasimha Dev chose this place.
The Konark temple is widely known not just for its architectural grandeur but also for the complexity and profusion of sculptural work. It is the highest point of achievement of Kalinga architecture, depicting grace, joy and the rhythm of life, including all the wonders.In addition, the Konark temple has also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This temple has been conceived as the chariot of the sun. The chariot has 12 pairs of wheels. 7 powerful horses are seen in front of the chariot which represents 7 days a week. The 12 pair wheels represent 24 hours a day. At the same time, indicates 12 months of the year. The 8 spokes in the wheels tells about the 8 'Prahar' (part of each day) of the day. The wheels of the temple act as sundial. Time is calculated from their shadows.
Surrounded in mystery, Konark is an architectural marvel of a different genre. Starting from its construction to collapse there are several myths, legends and theories. But there is no unanimous view on whether the temple was ever completed, consecrated or how it was reduced to ruins.
