[ST7677]

The Sun Temple at Konark
Built by the King Narasimhadeva in the thirteenth century, the entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses (days) and twenty four wheels (Hours), carrying the sun god, Surya, across the heavens. The chief quality is its design and architectural details. The Konark Sun Temple and its teams of horses face east, so that the chariot can be pulled towards the rising sun. Each wheel has twelve spokes, representing the twelve months of the year; the seven horses or each team represent the days of the week; eight spokes in each wheel represent the stations of a woman's ideal day. The spokes of the wheels serve as sun dials and the shadows cast by these can give the precise time of the day.
The main sanctum, which was double the height (229ft high) of the surviving Adience hall (128ft), which enshrined the presiding deity has fallen off. The Konark Sun Temple entrance is guarded by two huge lions, each crushing a war elephant, Each elephant in turn lies on top of a human body.


It is said that powerful magnets placed as load stone empowered the God’s statue to float in the air. Due to its magnetic effects it was drawing vessels passing through the Konark sea resulting in heavy damage. The compass fitted in the ships to show the direction, was being disturbed and was not functioning properly. Voyagers took away the load stone from the Sun temple. This load stone on the temple was working as the central stone keeping all the stones of the temple wall in a balance. Due to its displacement the temple walls lost their balance and fell down in course of time.

Muslim invaders returned in the fifteenth century and the Konark Temple was badly damaged. For centuries, the forces of nature caused even further damage, and it lay under a huge mound of sand until archeologists uncovered and began restoring it in the early twentieth century. Fortunately, like the great Pyramids and Sphinx near Cairo Egypt, the sand acted as protection from the elements, and the incredibly intricate and rich carvings on the lower parts of the temple were quite well preserved.

At the entrance Lions crushing a war elephant which in turn lies on top of a human body.





Krishna shown with the flute on left



Look at the intricate carving of jewelry of the war horse




The famous sun wheel of Konark temple







Look at the mammoth proportion of this sun chariot. Now imagine the original temple, which was twice the size of this one!!!



The left over of the sun temple was filled with stones inside by the Britishers to prevent it from collapsing.







These are the iron beams recovered from the debris of the main temple

We took the guide for Rs.100, but he was not required. He did not tell us anything new (not mentioned above), and mostly kept highlighting the amorous postures carved on the temple walls. To talk about that, there are all kinds of erotica stuff that you can imagine sculpted here. Might get little embarrassing if you are with grown up kids or parents.
Actually on close observation one will realize that there are three levels of sculptures for 3 different age groups. At lowest level is for kids - sculptures of domestic animals, etc. Next level is for youth - the amorous sculptures. And the top level is for old aged - sculptures of Gods. This can also be interpreted as form of life - Animals at lowest levels, humans in between (submerged in their desires) and gods at the highest level.


Just when we were about to finish our Konark sightseeing, we were greeted with more rain showers. We rushed towards the car park (which is quiet a long walk away). Our plans to go further 5km down to Konark beach were dropped and we headed towards Bhubaneshwar. We were expecting rains but little did we know that Monsoon clouds had broken and these rains would continue non-stop for next 3 days.

By the time we reached Bhubaneshwar, we were really hungry and I quickly looked at GPS to show the nearest restaurants. We went to Rice Bowl on Jan Path N Rd. It seemed like a decent Chineese restaurant. The food turned out to be average, but the service was pathetic. We were to made to wait 50 mins between the order to the main course. I had to fight with the manager there and almost walk out of the place to get our food served! You can imagine how it feels to wait after a long day!!! My recommendation – strictly avoid this place.

[BulZire]

wonderful travealogue with superb pics. And really appreciate your choice of doing a solo drive for such a long distance with family. It is always a fun to drive with your family in, especially answering the little ones questions while driving is real sweet.

I am waiting to hear if your wife had shut the fridge door properly or made the other door open finally

[amitwlele]

I had visited the Sun Temple as a school kid 25 years back. Hardly remember anything now. I am sure the guide must have told us all the things that you have mentioned in the post. But i do not recollect anything. Was good to revisit it through your snaps.

I should say the temple complex and the lawns are really maintained. If i am not mistaken this temple is also in the list of top heritage sites of India.

[julupani]

The lode stone theory about the Sun Temple's collapse is complete myth. It has been completely rejected by historians and archeologists. Though thee actual reason is not confirmed, it was most probably bad design, weak stone, compounded by many other factors.

Now, the main sanctum is completely off limits to general tourists. But I have been inside when I was younger. The Sun Temple is not just one of the top heritage sites of India, it happens to be a World Heritage site.

Oh my god, you went to The Rice Bowl!!!. It was a good restaurant about 15years back!! Surprise the GPS threw this out. If you were feeling that hungry, you could have eaten at Konark itself. It has quite a few Marwari vegetarian restaurants, and also a decent restaurant run by the OTDC which provides good simple food.

[nomadabhi]

And done
Gtechniq nano windscreen coating – This is hydrophobic coating which makes water roll down the glass quickly, like from lotus leaf. No need to use wiper above 60-70kmph speed.

In case of emergency you can always use tobacco (from ciggerette) to rub it all over the windscreen. It do not allow water to stay on glass.

[yogesh.janghel]

This is bringing back memories. Visited Konark when I was very young. Waiting for the next section, from Balasore to Jamshedpur. This road was pretty bad when i went in 2008. Actually this is a important road. It connected Jamshedpur to Orissa, Chattisgarh etc ( the other road from Jamshedpur to Chattisgarh via Rourkela is very bad ).
Atleast from Bahargora to jamshedpur, I dont see moist problem, but there is problem with Thugs. Its always better to be in safe side here and travel during day.

@ST7677 - R u from jamshedpur.

Thanking You-Yogesh

[julupani]

Originally Posted by yogesh.janghel

This is bringing back memories. Visited Konark when I was very young. Waiting for the next section, from Balasore to Jamshedpur. This road was pretty bad when i went in 2008. Actually this is a important road. It connected Jamshedpur to Orissa, Chattisgarh etc ( the other road from Jamshedpur to Chattisgarh via Rourkela is very bad ).
Atleast from Bahargora to jamshedpur, I dont see moist problem, but there is problem with Thugs. Its always better to be in safe side here and travel during day.

Situation of roads in Orissa has improved a lot in the last 3years and within this year the GQ should be complete in Orissa.

NH18 (old NH33) from Baharagora to Jamshedpur is not that bad from the Maoist point of view. A small patch around Ghatshila is the problem area here.

But the old NH6 between Baharagora and Kharagpur is the real problem section. I had heard truckers too avoiding this section, by covering some extra distance by taking a detour via Baleswar. Similarly NH18 around Purulia is also not that safe.

[ST7677]

I agree on the post above.

Originally Posted by julupani

The lode stone theory about the Sun Temple's collapse is complete myth. It has been completely rejected by historians and archeologists. Though thee actual reason is not confirmed, it was most probably bad design, weak stone, compounded by many other factors.

Yeah, the collapse and dislodging of magnet may not be directly related, but the existence of huge magnet is there in all versions.

Originally Posted by julupani

If you were feeling that hungry, you could have eaten at Konark itself. It has quite a few Marwari vegetarian restaurants, and also a decent restaurant run by the OTDC which provides good simple food.

It had started raining there, and all we could think of at that point was to run to the car. Also we were not really hungry at Konark, but reaching Bhubaneshwar took some good 2 hours due to heavy traffic and then the wait for food made us more hungry!

Originally Posted by yogesh.janghel

Waiting for the next section, from Balasore to Jamshedpur. This road was pretty bad when i went in 2008.

@ST7677 - R u from jamshedpur.

No I am not. I just went there for a function.
Balasore to Ghiajodi (where it meets NH5-NH6), is now a very good road - very smooth and newly laid - it's not very wide though and is not divided either. Can be done around 80-90 kmph safely in uninhabited areas. Photos of this road coming up in next piece of travelogue.
From there to Jamshola check post is bad, really bad in some places (1ft deep and huge potholes). From Jamshola to Jamshedpur is decent with occasional potholes and bad stretches.

Originally Posted by BulZire

I am waiting to hear if your wife had shut the fridge door properly or made the other door open finally

That was the big suspense for both of us also through out the trip.

[julupani]

Originally Posted by ST7677

Balasore to Ghiajodi (where it meets NH5-NH6), is now a very good road - very smooth and newly laid - it's not very wide though and is not divided either. Can be done around 80-90 kmph safely in uninhabited areas. Photos of this road coming up in next piece of travelogue.
From there to Jamshola check post is bad, really bad in some places (1ft deep and huge potholes). From Jamshola to Jamshedpur is decent with occasional potholes and bad stretches.

I think the small section from Baleswar to old NH6 junction is not under NHAI, but under the control of the state PWD department. In Orissa, I have always seen state highways and national highways not under NHAI are almost always in better shape. These roads may not be very wide, but always well-maintained.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by ST7677

Balasore to Ghiajodi (where it meets NH5-NH6), is now a very good road - very smooth and newly laid - it's not very wide though and is not divided either. Can be done around 80-90 kmph safely in uninhabited areas. Photos of this road coming up in next piece of travelogue.
From there to Jamshola check post is bad, really bad in some places (1ft deep and huge potholes). From Jamshola to Jamshedpur is decent with occasional potholes and bad stretches.

Lovely description with beautiful pics. The route through Orissa and Jharkhand is amazingly beautiful during rains (have spent 2 years at Jamshedpur). Hope to see a lot of pics depicting the greenery.

And that's one stonking looker of a car!

By the way, I am glad that you have planned the route with such precautions. I have driven around on my bike a lot on those highways; those days I always was told not to go outside the city due to the naxal issues. But if one takes the necessary precautions, there is hardly any danger.

Looking forward to the rest of the travelogue!

[turbo_delight]

Originally Posted by BulZire

wonderful travealogue with superb pics. And really appreciate your choice of doing a solo drive for such a long distance with family. It is always a fun to drive with your family in, especially answering the little ones questions while driving is real sweet.

I am waiting to hear if your wife had shut the fridge door properly or made the other door open finally

After reading his very first thread, even i was wondering what happened to the fridge door..

@ST7677
did you get a higher electricity bill

[nagarajmg]

Good planning and preparaion. Exellent travelouge.
Good to hear that kids really enjoyed. Just curious to know did you plan anything special for kids entertainment? I am asking this as some times during long journey my kids feel bored since there is nothing much to do for them.

[Night_Hawk]

Originally Posted by ST7677

That was the big suspense for both of us also through out the trip.

Let the cat out of the bag. the tesnion is mounting. Tell us what happend to the fridge (door)

Following your TL very closely, very interesting , keep the details and pictures rolling

[ST7677]

Originally Posted by nagarajmg

Good planning and preparaion. Exellent travelouge.
Good to hear that kids really enjoyed. Just curious to know did you plan anything special for kids entertainment? I am asking this as some times during long journey my kids feel bored since there is nothing much to do for them.

I can understand. (At least my) Kids now days do not enjoy watching the window scenery the way we used to do in our early age. They continuously need something to keep them engaged.

I have a pair of ultra wide screen 21:9 cinemascopic screens for the rear seat. These are connected to the car computer that I have custom installed. So before a long drive I download loads of movies, couple of new games and puzzles for the rear benchers. In addition to that we also carry few note books, short story books and select compact toys for the kids.

On a really long day drive I restrict movies count to max 3, typically 2 for kids and one for my wife, (which kids also watch). Encourage them to do some creative stuff in the notebook, like draw something they saw/liked. Study for at least 30-60 mins or so. I talk to them and discuss lot of things, which usually I do not get time for on a day to day basis. Further they are encouraged to look outside and sleep as much as they wish too...

I usually take off the head rest of the front passenger seat. My wife sits behind this seat so it let's her have a good view of the road. Also makes the car more airy and let's us have a face to face conversation freely (when not driving).

I usually see most of the new movies loaded (for my wife) before the journey itself. Helps me in two ways, one I do not get distracted when it is played again (I know the storyline) and second I can remove the movies which are not appropriate for children (now days you can't depend on censor board and you get plenty of them in this category). I can run multiple video streams simultaneously, so front screen always carries the GPS display, while only the rear screens carry the movie stream.

On this trip my elder daughter insisted that I stream GPS map to rear screen also, which she was observing very carefully (and later was explaining to my wife). Since then she is hooked on to exploring Google earth. I had not expected this and was pleasantly surprised.

[swiftnfurious]

Beautiful T-log ! Very well written, the right amount of pics and a classy explanation of the Sun temple. These are things which can add a lot of value for us, readers, who have no idea about the history of these magnificent structures!

Rating this thread a 5 STAR !! Keep it up sir, looking for the rest of the details as well.