Sun Temple, Konark – History
The current temple was built by King
Narasimhadeva I / Langula Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty (1238 –
1264 CE). However, an older temple existed in Konark from 9th
century CE. It is said that King Narasimhadeva I build this temple to commemorate his victory
over Tughan Khan, a governor of Bengal of Delhi Sultanate. The temple was in
ruins before its restoration. The cause of the destruction of the Konark temple
is unclear and still remains a source of controversy.
Theories range from natural
damage to deliberate destruction of the temple in the course of being sacked
several times by Muslim armies between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Early theories stated that the temple was never completed and collapsed during
construction. These theories are contradicted by textual evidence and evidence
from inscriptions. The Kenduli copper plate inscription of 1384 CE from
the reign of Narasimha IV seems to indicate that the temple was not only
completed but an active site of worship.
Another inscription states that
various deities in the temple were consecrated, also suggesting that
construction of the temple had been completed. A non-Hindu textual source,
the Akbar-era text Ain-i-Akbari by Abul Fazl dated to the
16th century CE, mentions the Konark temple, describing it as a
prosperous site with a temple that made visitors astonished at its sight, with
no mention of ruins. This temple was called as Black Pagoda in European
sailor accounts as early as 1676 CE because it looked like a great tiered tower
which appeared black.
Similarly, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called as White Pagoda. Both temples served as
important landmarks for sailors in the Bay of Bengal. During the reign of
the Marathas in Odisha in the 18th century, a Maratha holy man named
Goswain (or Goswami) found the temple abandoned and covered in overgrowth. The
Marathas relocated the Aruna stambha (pillar with Aruna the charioteer seated
atop it) to the Singha Dwara (Lion's Gate) entrance of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. The temple might suffered its destruction in 17th
century CE.
The East India Marine Board
requested the Governor General of Bengal in 1803 CE to undertake the
conservation efforts of this temple. However, the only conservation measure put
in place at the time was to prohibit further removal of stones from the site. James
Fergusson (1808-1836 CE), the noted Scottish historian of British India who
played a key role in rediscovering ancient Indian antiquities and architectural
sites, visited Konarak in 1837 CE and prepared a drawing.
He estimated the height of the
portion still standing as being between 42.67 and 45.72 metres. The Asiatic
Society of Bengal requested for the conservation efforts for the temple in
1838 CE, but the requests were denied, and only measures to prevent vandalism
were put in place. The remnant of the main tower still standing, a small broken
curved section, collapsed in 1848 lacking the structural support.
However, the then-Raja of
Khurda, who had jurisdiction over this region in the early 19th century,
removed some stones and sculptures to use in a temple he was building in Puri.
A few gateways and some sculptures were destroyed in the process. In 1859,
the Asiatic Society of Bengal proposed, and in 1867 attempted to relocate
an architrave of the Konark temple depicting
the navagraha to the Indian Museum in Calcutta.
This attempt was abandoned as
funds had run out. In 1894 thirteen sculptures were moved to the Indian
Museum. Local Hindu population objected to further damage and removal of temple
ruins. The government issued orders to respect the local sentiments. The conservation
activities picked up speed from 1900 CE onwards after Lt. Governor John
Woodburn initiated the launch of a well-planned campaign to save the temple at
any cost by adopting suitable measures.
In 1903, when a major excavation
was attempted nearby, the then-Lieutenant governor of Bengal, J. A.
Bourdillon, ordered the temple to be sealed and filled with sand to prevent the
collapse of the Jagamohana. The Mukhasala and Nata Mandir were repaired by
1905. In 1906 casuarina and punnang trees were planted facing the sea to
provide a buffer against sand-laden winds. In 1909 the Mayadevi temple was
discovered while removing sand and debris. The Archaeological Survey of
India has been conserving and maintaining the site since 1939 CE.
It is one of the few Hindu
temples whose planning and construction records written in Sanskrit in
the Odia script have been preserved in the form of palm leaf
manuscripts. These manuscripts were discovered in a village in the 1960s and
subsequently translated. There were 73 palm leaf manuscripts chronicled
the planning of the temple and 12 years of construction from 1246 to
1258. The temple was sponsored by the king, and its construction was overseen
by Siva Samantaraya Mahapatra. It was built near an old Surya temple.
The sculpture from the sanctum
of the ancient temple was re-consecrated and incorporated into the newer larger
temple. The temple was granted World Heritage Site status by the UNESCO in
1984. This temple is depicted on the reverse side of the Indian
currency note of 10 rupees to signify its importance to Indian
cultural heritage. The temple remains a major pilgrimage site for Hindus,
who gather here every year for the Chandrabhaga Mela around the month
of February.
Konark was known as Kainapara in
ancient Indian texts. Konark thrived as a significant trading port by the early
centuries of the common era. Several Puranas mention Surya worship centers in
Mundira (might be an earlier name for Konark), Kalapriya (Mathura),
and Multan (now in Pakistan). The Chinese Buddhist pilgrim and
traveler Hiuen-tsang (also referred to as Xuanzang) mentions a port
city in Odisha named Charitra.
He describes the city as
prosperous, with five convents and storeyed towers that are very high and
carved with saintly figures exquisitely done. Since he visited India in the 7th
century, he could not have been referring to the 13th century temple,
but his description suggests either Konark or another Odisha port city already
featuring towering structures with sculptures.
The name Konark (Konarka) derives from the combination of the Sanskrit words Kona (corner or angle) and Arka (the sun). The context of the term Kona is unclear, but probably refers to the southeast location of this temple either within a larger temple complex or in relation to other sun temples on the subcontinent. The Arka refers to the Hindu sun god Surya. The Sun temple of Konark, the Puri Jagannath temple and the Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar form a bilateral triangle. Konark temple forms one Kona (angular point of the triangle).
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