Copyright

© 2012 - 2026, Swetha Sundaram The content on this blog is based on the author's own inferences. All other rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be sold, licensed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the author. Disclaimer The information in this book is for educational/informational purposes only. The author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Use at your own risk. This article is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the author, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 1

 

This series analyses the symbolism of the Konark Sun Temple, which makes the temple a pictorial representation of the Upanishads. This article is written from the author’s perspective. The article also focuses on Kalingan Style architecture and the construction methods employed from an engineering perspective.

The article also examines possible reasons that led to the temple's collapse.

 

Historical Background:

 

The age of the temple, after much archaeological debate, was assigned to the period of  King Narasimhadeva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, i.e the temple was said to have been constructed in the 13th century. However, Abul Fazl in his work Ain-i-Akbari assigns the date when this temple was completed to 850 AD, 873 AD.

The word Konark is a compound word from Kona + Arka. Kona means angle, and Arka means fire or sun. The word Konarka could refer to the entry of the Sun into the constellation Aquarius, known as Agni-Kona, which is celebrated as Ratha Sapthami.

Continued On: The Forgotten Empires Of India: Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 2

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.