Konark · Odisha
Sri Konark Sun Temple — Konark, Puri District, Odisha (UNESCO World Heritage 1984; 'Black Pagoda')
Konark Sun Temple = sun-chariot architecture; built by the Eastern-Ganga king Narasimhadeva I around 1250 CE; UNESCO World Heritage 1984 (criteria i + iii + vi); 10.62 hectares property area; no longer a worshipped temple — an ASI-protected monument
अन्य नाम: Konark Sun Temple · Konark · Black Pagoda (named by European sailors in 1676) · Konark Surya Ratha
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
Sri Surya Deva (the original sanctum deity; no longer present; ASI-protected); the original design form: 12-pair (24-total) chariot wheels + 7 horses (sun-chariot architecture); upashalas: Mayadevi Temple (late-11th century; pre-dates the main temple — flag), Vaishnava Temple (discovered 1956), Natamandira + Bhogamandapa (ruined)
Sun-chariot architecture: 12-pair (24-total) chariot wheels (~3.7 m / 12 ft diameter each; the Shukla + Krishna paksha pairing = 12 months); 7 horses (named after Sanskrit prosodic meters: Gayatri + Brihati + Ushnih + Jagati + Trishtubh + Anushtubh + Pankti — the Wikipedia text-supported interpretation; the popular '7 days of the week / 7 colours' reading has no textual source — flagged); the chariot-wheel sundial is accurate to the minute (8 major spokes per wheel; widely cited)
सम्प्रदाय: Solar / Surya upasana; in the modern era: an ASI-protected monument (no longer in worship; the Jagamohana was sand-filled in 1903 by the ASI); an Eastern-Ganga-dynasty-built historical monument
Krishna's son Samba (mother Jambavati) was cursed with leprosy (cause: ridiculing Narada / seeing the stepmothers per the traditional source); for 12 years he worshipped Surya + bathed in the Chandrabhaga tirtha and was cured of leprosy; in gratitude he built the Sun Temple per the narrative. Sources: Samba Purana / Skanda Purana traditions (the Puranic-level tradition is widely held).
The Eastern-Ganga king Narasimhadeva I (Narasimha Deva / Langula Narasimha Deva I; reign 1238-1264 CE) had the Konark Sun Temple built around 1250 CE. Per tradition: a 12-year construction period + 1200 artisans (sthapatis; at the narrative level; the 12,000 figure source disagreement — dropped). Architect: Bishu Maharana per the traditional narrative (the Dharmapada legend; Odia folklore single-source; no pre-19th-century reference — flag as a narrative). Construction stones: Khondalite for the main parts; Chlorite for lintels/sculpture; Laterite for the foundation/core/staircases; sandstone blocks fastened with iron cramps.
The temple's design is in the form of a sun chariot: 24 (12-pair) huge chariot wheels (~3.7 m / 12 ft diameter each); each wheel has 8 major spokes; from the spoke shadows, a sundial accurate to the minute (the mechanism: the central-axle shadow on the spoke gradations; widely cited; in academic literature the exact calibration scheme is undocumented — flag). 7 horses named after Sanskrit prosodic meters (Gayatri + Brihati + Ushnih + Jagati + Trishtubh + Anushtubh + Pankti). 12-pair chariot wheels = the 12 months of the Hindu panchang (the Shukla + Krishna paksha pairing).
The original main vimana/Deul cited at ~229 feet / 70 m; collapsed in 1837 CE (Wikipedia; other sources: 19th-century gradual collapse). The Jagamohana (assembly hall) ~100 feet / 30 m survives; the British ASI sand-filled it in 1903 CE to prevent its collapse and the interior cannot now be entered. UNESCO World Heritage declaration 1984 CE (#246; 8th session; criteria (i) + (iii) + (vi); 10.62 hectares property area). Mayadevi Temple (late 11th century; pre-dates the main temple — flag) + Vaishnava Temple (discovered 1956) + Natamandira + Bhogamandapa-ruins remnants.
08:30 (no worship; ASI monument) से 17:00 (open year-round; no weekly off) तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम None
वस्त्र-संहिता: Modest attire recommended (not strictly enforced as it is not a living temple — UNESCO); footwear allowed in the outer complex
फोटोग्राफी: Photography free in the complex; entry into the main structure forbidden (sand-filled); drones forbidden; museum-interior photography forbidden; Orissa HC ruling: professional photographers require an ASI licence
विशेष नियम: No longer a resident deity; no puja/ceremony; ASI-protected monument; entry into the main structure forbidden (1903 sand-fill); drones forbidden; entry fees Rs.40 Indian/SAARC/BIMSTEC + Rs.600 foreign + children under 5 free
The outer complex + 12-pair chariot wheels + 7 horses + Jagamohana (sand-filled and closed-interior) — darshan; Indian/SAARC/BIMSTEC Rs.40 + foreign Rs.600; under 5 free.
December-February 18:30 + 19:30; March-November 19:30 + 20:20; ~40 minutes; Hindi/English/Odia.
Rs.5 Indian + Rs.100 foreign; under-15 children free; 4 galleries + 260+ artifacts.
An annual classical dance festival since 1986; with the temple as the backdrop; Odissi + Bharatanatyam + Kathak + Kuchipudi + Manipuri + Mohiniattam + Chhau; free entry.
2026: 24 February 2026 Tuesday; the Chandrabhaga-tirtha bath; the Ratha-Saptami / Surya-Jayanti convergence.
On the same dates as the Konark Dance Festival.
Odissi + Bharatanatyam + Kathak + Kuchipudi + Manipuri + Mohiniattam + Chhau; organised by Odisha Tourism + Odissi Research Centre; free; the temple as backdrop
The Chandrabhaga-tirtha bath (the river now reduced to a pond); Ratha-Saptami / Surya-Jayanti convergence
Held at the Chandrabhaga Beach
1984 UNESCO declaration #246 (i)(iii)(vi); a world-renowned sun-chariot architecture darshan sankalpa
स्रोत: UNESCO whc.unesco.org/en/list/246 + UNESCO Odisha article multi-source
12-pair (24-total) chariot wheels (~3.7 m each) + 7-Sanskrit-prosodic-meter-named horses; the Kalinga-architecture apex; a monument-darshan sankalpa
स्रोत: Wikipedia + UNESCO multi-source
Chariot-wheel-spoke shadow sundial accurate to the minute; a world-unique astronomical-architecture sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Wikipedia + Britannica multi-source (the academic calibration scheme is flagged)
Centre of the Samba Purana narrative; the 12-year Surya upasana + Chandrabhaga bath leprosy-relief narrative; a wellness sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Samba Purana + Wikipedia
Ratha-Saptami / Surya-Jayanti convergence; the traditional bath sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: PuriWaves + OdishaTV multi-source
Annual since 1986; Odissi + other classical dance; free; the temple as backdrop
स्रोत: Wikipedia + Odisha Tourism + Incredible India multi-source
Mayadevi = Surya's consort; built before the main temple (late 11th century; pre-dating flag)
Discovered by the ASI in 1956; embedded within the temple precinct
The collapsed-ruins site
The collapsed-ruins site
4 galleries + 260+ artifacts
Central to the Samba narrative; the Magha-Shukla-Saptami mela site; the International Sand Art Festival venue
One of the 4 Dhams; Eastern-Ganga-dynasty built
UNESCO Tentative List 2014; the Temple City
The sun-architecture apex tirtha; the UNESCO World Heritage centre
3 मंदिर
The only full UNESCO World Heritage Site
3 मंदिर
The Samba narrative central temple
2 मंदिर