Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The name of Konark temple is an amalgamation of two words--Kona meaning corner and Arka meaning the Sun. That is to say that the Sun god worshipped in Ark Kshetra is called Konark. This temple is facing in East direction, constructed in Kalingan style of architecture and temple made of stone boulders, lime & stand.

Mandapams & Pillars : The temple was comprised of Gajasimha (Main Entrance), Nat Mandir (Dance Hall), Jagamohan (Audience Hall) and Deul (Main Sanctum). The walls of the Mukhasala begins from the Lotus pitha. It has been built in Panch Ratha type containing five divisions- Pabhaga, Tala Jangha, Bandhana, Upper Jangha and Varanda. There are three tiers of Pidha on the walls. Its roof is of a terraced pyramidal shape and the string cornices are separated by three tiers by means of high recesses, which contain a number of beautiful life-sized standing figures of women in various dancing poses, plying on different musical instruments like drums, flutes, vina and cymbals, depicting the usual customs of offering dances, by the devadashis at the time of arati. Among these three tiers have six Pidhas (layers). Each tier is prominently separated from the other. The distance between first and second tier is 7 feet and between second and third is 5'.7''(1.701m). Just on the doors of east, south and north there are figures of Bhairava (Lord Siva) on the lower parapet. The images have four heads and six arms each. There were four doors in four sides of the Mukhasala. The western leads to the main temple, whereas the others lead to the porches outside. The doors are made of black chlorite and full of sculptures. In the past there were two pillars in front of the eastern door extending the door to 16 feet(4.876 m) forward. Above these pillars the Navagraha Paata was kept on iron beams of 21 feet(6.4 m.) long. This fell down in the year 1628 A.D It is also described that there was a lower roof inside the Mukhasala. This lower roof was said to have rested on four pillars and iron beams. This lower roof collapsed in 1848. Due to fall of this tower roof the inside was filled in with stones. The inside walls had been plastered by the mixture of lime and sand.

Temple Walls : The basements of the temple are decorated with a band of about 1452 elephants in different poses. In some places the King himself is seen moving on elephant's back, attendants holding the Raja-Chhatra(Royal umbrella) warriors were found proceeding on the elephants and horses for a fight, holding swords and shields in their hands. Dear are chased by the hunters in the forest or killed with bow and arrow. The pathetic departing scene of an old lady going on pilgrimage, is most touching. She is seen blessing her son while the doughter-in-law bows down to her feet and the grand child clings to her. The pilgrims carrying foodstuffs and other usable things along with them and a bullock cart, are seen husking rice and cooking their food on the way side. The middle row of sculpture on the temple walls, is decorated with all sorts of imaginary figures like Gaja-sardula(lion upon an elephant), nara-Vyala(lion upon a man) and Naga-Mithunas with half-human and half-serpent couples, who fabulusly live in deep waters of the sea, where they hoard their treasures. Male and female figures in different poses can also be seen in the same row. The next higher row contains a number of bigger sculptures, mostly erotic. In some carvings, the obscenity is to such a great extent that Vatsayana, the famous author on sex-psychology, even did not mention about similar poses in his books. Not withstanding with the vulgarity presented in the erotic scenes, the sculpture reveals the thorough knowledge of human anatomy that the artists head. In one scene a man is lifting a woman with both his hands and the woman clings to his neck. In this case the sculptures have wonderfully shown the expanding and contraction of the muscles, as a result of his lifting the woman. It is proof of their technical experiences of centuries.