Sun Temple, Konark – History

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 9^th 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 15^th and 17^th 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 16^th 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 18^th 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 17^th 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 19^th 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 7^th century, he could not have been referring to the 13^th 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).