[GHHF] Visited Two historical Temples in Orissa – Puri Jagannath Temple Konark Surya Temple.

29 Nov 2024 97 Views

We are very fortunate to visit Puri Jagannath Temple and Konark Surya Temple on November 27th. According to the Puranas, once Lord Vishnu appeared in the dreams of King Indradyumna and told him that he should go build a temple made of Neem wood. However, he could not find anyone capable enough to make a statue. Whenever somebody would try, his tools would break and would be unsuccessful. One day, Lord Vishwakarma came in the form of a sculptor and agreed to make the statue of Lord Vishnu but on one condition: For the next 21 days, nobody will disturb him and he will do his work in a room without anyone’s interruption. However, after 15 days, there was no voice from the room and the Queen, in restlessness opened the room. The saw an incomplete idol of Lord Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra. Krishna and Balarama’s hands were incomplete and the legs weren’t built while Subhadra’s hands and legs weren’t even made. King Indradyumna decided to place these statues inside the temple thinking it to be God’s wish.
It is a huge Temple and so many small temples, trees and too many places to see. It is vibrant with many people visiting and enjoyed the visit. 
The temple is famous for its annual Ratha Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three principal deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated raths, or temple cars. The worship is performed by the Bhil Sabar tribal priests, as well as priests of other communities in the temple. 
Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath is made of wood, and is ceremoniously replaced every 12 or 19 years by an exact replica.
The we proceeded  to Konark Surya Temple which is about 12 centuries old. Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE Hindu Sun temple is about 35 kilometers from Puri. The temple is attributed to king Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty about 1250 CE.[3][4]
This Temple si dedicated to Sun-god Surya, what remains of the temple complex has the appearance of a 100-foot (30 m) high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone. Once over 200 feet (61 m) high,much of the temple is now in ruins, in particular the large shikara tower over the sanctuary; at one time this rose much higher than the mandapa that remains. The structures and elements that have survived are famed for their intricate artwork, iconography, and themes, including erotic kama and mithuna scenes. Also called the Surya Devalaya, it is a classic illustration of the Odisha style of Architecture or Kalinga architecture.
You can spend hours looking at the intricate carving of the structure. The steps are steep and difficult to climb. It is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Renovation work is taking place to match the original intricate designs.

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