Konark with its serene ambience, majestic seashore and the heritage sites is regarded as an ideal regarded as an ideal holiday destination by domestic as well as foreign tourists.
History of Konark
Konark derives its name from Konarka (presiding deity of the Sun temple) and is a combination of 'Kona' meaning corner and 'Arka' meaning sun. Konark was once a bustling port at the time of the erstwhile Kingdom of Kalinga, the former name of Orissa. The history of Konark shows that Konark also has good maritime trade relations with Southeast Asian countries.
Attractions in Konark
The most prominent tourist attraction in Konark is undoubtedly the Sun Temple at Konark.Now designated as World Heritage Site, the Konark Temple is regarded as the finest one dedicated to the Sun God. King Narasimhadeva of the Ganga dynasty built the temple in the 13th century to celebrate a military victory. The Konark Sun Temple belongs to the Central Indian style of Temple architecture, though it does not have tall shikharas of the later temples of Orissa and Central India. The temple, which resembles a chariot with 24 giant wheels being pulled by 7 horses, is visualized as the image of the sun god coursing through heaven on his seven-horse drawn carriage. The temple was once known as the Black Pagoda, by sailors, in contrast to the whitewashed temples of Puri and was said to contain a great mass of iron, which would draw unwary ships in to the shore. Konark is also a beach attraction with the Chandrabhaga beach rated as one of the finest on the eastern coastline of India.
Other attractions include the Museum of Archeological Survey of India, which displays a collection of brilliant Oriyan architecture. Some are unique pieces like the medieval stone block called the richly ornamented Navagraha slab originally placed over the front door of the temple.
Excursions from Konark
If you are interested in archeology you should make a trip to Kuruma, a small village 8 kms away, famous for its Buddhist architectural heritage. Recent excavations revealed a lot about ancient Buddhist establishments including an image of Buddha seated in the famous Bhumisparsa Mudra.For the spiritual tourist, a temple tour can be done by visiting the shrines of Amareswar, Laxminarayan, and Barahi at Chaurasi about 14 km from Kakatpur on the way to Konark.The deity of Barahi, the mother Goddess with the face of a boar, dates back to 9th century AD. The potbellied image, holding a fish in one hand and a cup in another, is worshipped according to Tantrik practices. Ashtranga is located at 91 km from Puri and 10 km from Kakatpuris a center for salt-production and fishing.
Festivals in Konark
Every year during the full moon phase in the month of Magha (Jan/Feb), there is a festival called Magha Saptami Mela when devotees from all over the state gather to take a holy bath in the pond and then shuffle off to the beach where, in accordance with an age-old custom mentioned in the Puranas, they watch the sun rise over the sea. The event is followed by the puja of the Navagrahas (Nine Planets). Konark also hosts the famous Konark Dance Festival. The three-day cultural extravaganza, held every year in the month of December, captivates the audience as leading Indian exponents of various Indian classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odisi, Kathakali and also folk dance forms like Orissa's own Chau is performed here.
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