Decided not to get in the Sun Temple in Konark due to high entrance fee (Rs 600
for foreigners vs Rs 40 for Indian). However, I was still able to appreciate
the temple from afar, well, not really, by walking on top of the high wall surrounding
it. By doing this, I realize that it is possible to sneak in though.
 |
| Sun Temple of Konark |
Unlike
the numerous temples I had stumbled upon on the road, the Sun Temple was
actually conceived as the cosmic chariot dedicated to the sun god Surya (Malay:
Suria). It took me some time and imagination to picture this though. The giant
ornamented chariot was drawn by seven rearing horses (corresponding to the days
of the week) with twelve pairs of elaborately carved stone cartwheels
(corresponding to the hours of the day) which has become the iconic symbol of
the temple, featuring on one’s house gate to souvenirs lining on the street. It
was believed that when viewed from inland during the dawn, the chariot-shaped
temple would appear to emerge from the depth of the blue sea carrying the sun.
Note: Sun
Temple of Konark is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cultural Site)
inscribed in 1984.
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