Konark

"Here, the language of stones surpasses the language of men"
Rabindranath Tagore

About Konark
Konark is famous for the Sun Temple, built by King Narasimhadeva, in a shape of a chariot with seven horses and twelve wheels. Located in the eastern region of India in the state of Orissa, Konark forms the golden triangle of tourism in Orissa along with its two other cities - Puri (35 km) and Bhubaneswar (65 km).

Dedicated to the Sun god, Konark is visited by millions around the world for not only being a pilgrimage site for the Hindus, but also for its exemplary architecture.

Nearby is the Konark beach, drawing tourists to its quite and lovely surroundings. The green beach at Konark serves as major refreshment to the tourists from all over.

The Landscape
The soil is sandy, as the Sea is only 2 km away. Konark is colorful place with lush greenery of the forests and the vivid handicrafts made by the locals. It looks lively with forests, sculptures, artifacts, ponds and huge the sea.

The Location
Konark is situated within 19-degree north latitude and 86-degree east longitude. Bay of Bengal is adjacent to Konark and 35 km Marine drive fetches Puri. Nearest airport is in Bhubaneswar.

The Climate
The closeness of sea prohibits harsh weather to affect Konark throughout the year. However maximum temperature can go up to 43 degree Celsius in summers. In the winter temperature falls down to as low as 10 degree Celsius. Heavy rainfall is common due to the presence of Sea near the city. Average rainfall for the season July- September stands around 152 cm.


Sun Temple
The Sun Temple is the prime attraction of Konark. The temple is dedicated to Surya, the Sun God, and is designed in the form of his huge chariot.

Mayadevi Temple
To the south-west of the temple, behind the sanctuary, are the remains of the Mayadevi temple. The temple was thought to be dedicated to one of the Surya's wives but now is now believed to be an older Surya Temple.

Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum contains many sculptures and carvings found during the temple excavations. The museum is open throughout the week except Friday.

Konark Beach
Three kilometres away from the temple is the Konark beach. You can either walk down or hire a bicycle or cycle-rickshaw to reach the beach. A walk along the beach is a pleasant experience.

Not to Overlook - Attractions
Konark Dance Festival: A dance festival is held in an open-air theatre built near the Sun Temple every year in the month of December. Known as the Konark dance festival, the event brings together eminent classical dancers of India who perform various dance forms like Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri, Kathak and Chhow.


Location : About 65 km from Bhubaneswar, near the sacred city of Puri, is the great Sun Temple of Konark.
Language : Oriya, Hindi and considerable percentage of people speak English.
Best time to visit : Through out the year
Climate : Moderate, but humid
Getting There
By Air : The nearest airport, Bhubaneswar, is 64 km away. The airport is connected with Calcutta, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Nagpur.
By Rail : The nearest railheads to Konark are Puri (31 km) and Bhubaneswar (64 km). Both the cities are connected by rail with all the major places in India.
By Road : Konark is well connected by National Highway and State Highway with Puri, Bhubaneswar and all the major places in Orissa.

Related Storie(s)
Orissa – Land of Temples and Beaches- By Bhageerathy
Ghatgaon-Orissa- By Nikhil Kumar