BREATH AWAY FROM USUAL SIGHT SEEING—FEEL AND ENJOY THE MOMENT WITH KONARK---THE SUN GOD IMMORTALIZED IN STONE
In the present day, in modern times of big hotel, multiplexes and office buildings attract our imagination of the greatness, but when we search our history we find big building structures of architectural spleandur. Although we all know that in India temples are the biggest marvels of art and worship blended together, where we get peace of soul and mind while watching and traveling at that particular monument .So we travel town to the state of Orissa, which well connected from big cities like New Delhi and Calcutta etc. Here just 65 kilometer from state capital Bhubaneswar, we find one of the world’s greatest architect master piece made out of big stones, called Konark –the Sun God temple explains its massiveness and faith on Sun God, close to long and idealized beach, it very unique to find Hindu religious temple near the ideal beach, though we can enjoy free Goan party here.
KONARK—Chariot of the Sun God, built in honor of the Sun or Surya as called in India, during 13th century by the king Narasimha of the Ganga dynasty, here the king wanted to built temple bigger than Puri and more crafted than Tanjore, as both these temples are built by kings elders and the present king also wanted to celebrate is victory on small kingdoms over Bengal.
Here as we all know during 13 century India already has different type of culture influences like Bhuddasim, Jainism etc but here we find real Hinduism influence on this particular temple. It is believed that the main architect Siebei Samantarary conceived it to make it real and almost 1200 masons and sculptors are used during 12 years to make visualization of king and architect. Built to respect the Sun God, the temple is built in the image of the chariot of the Sun with 7 horses also depicting the 7 days of the week and 12 pairs of wheels depicting 12 months in an year. What remains today is a small portion of the original massive temple, as temple posses entrance hall 39 meters high. But still today the sun rising from the sea shines on the images of the Morning Sun, the Evening Sun and the Mid-day Sun at different part of the day.
Most interesting part of this temple is its sculptors those depict lot of thought dilemma as some have some erotic images. It is very different from other temples in India to find them on or near temple walls here at Konark, which raises a debate among religious pundits and logical philosophers. Why we argue on reality? Well we here to travel and watching our god and goddess in different lifestyle sculptors is thought provoking and different visual of find out near this small beautiful sea beach town. It only happens in INDIA, and as Indian I feel it from my mind also that there is stone and The God lives in it.
HOW TO REACH –STAY AND TRAVEL TIPS
We are sea level height town with moderate temperature to travel but we don’t have goan beach like hassles but calm sand dunes and sound of high tide gives pleasure in different way to enjoy. Another very uniqueness is that very rare we find Hindu temple near sea, so here we have religious temple, small greenery, museum, historical monument of ancient art and surprisingly a calm beach.
Being Hindu sate and religious temple town, sight seeing around this Sun temple town is not much attractive, it has calm evening and night life because population is very much is thousands and not much economic activities to find town attractive, so we came to feel calm among sea-stone and the Sun God. Local people are simple and cooperative not much of troublesome for tourist of foreign origin, although it is advice not to mingle much with locals is you do not have earlier acquaintance, always travel along with certified travel guide or ask for details from Government run tourist centers. Reaching Konark is easy as it swell connected to airport of the state and almost all major airlines are flying here, By road nearest big city is Calcutta so if you can have your travel plan to travel to city of joy –also in this intitnary. Nearest railhead is also just half and hour away from this Sun town, here all trains connected from New Delhi and Mumbai also. So reaching out to much problem here for all travelers
Although all foreign national advice to check hotels before touching ground here, we cannot find big hotel but just 30minutes drive from here we can have very good star hotels. PLEASE KEEP YOURSELF AWAY FROM BEGGERS ALSO. Tipping is not customary here at any time and at place. Photography in allowed without permit but not inside main temple, no special permit required by any foreigner traveling here. Local transport is simple on cycle or three-wheeler rickshaws always travel on pre-determined fare as mentioned on travel sites itself. Not much on risk in traveling at night in the city, as it calm and safe but it is better to have some one from your hotel and tour guide.
So from religious-beachy-hostorical-spritual town of THE SUN KONARK
