Konark – The land of Sun and Sand !
Konark – this beautiful place situated in the state of Odisha, India is named after the famous Konark Temple that is dedicated to the Sun God. Konark interchangeably refers to the temple itself with an additional attraction nearby being the beach. The temple is an architecture marvel and one will be in awe just by the sight of it. It’s magnificence can be felt at the first sight of it.
The temple depicts Odisha culture, heritage and architecture at its best. Built in the 13th century , Konark which literally means Sun , is constructed in the form of the chariot of the Sun God with 24 wheels and 7 horses. The temple has stood the test of time and though most of the temple is intact, the main temple where the presiding deity was is no longer accessible and a good part of it is in ruins and hence this world heritage site protected by UNESCO can only be enjoyed from the outside.
The sculpture is so amazing and each corner is exemplifying. The chariot looks spectacular. I have been here multiple times both during day and night. While during the day one gets to see a wider and complete view of the temple whereas in night, though it looks spectacular with lights, the view is not as great in the darkness of the night.
If you want to go for that amazing complete view of the temple but can manage the sun beating down on you which is apt since you are in the sun temple, go during the day. If your preference is to enjoy the calmness and lights and get to see a musical fountain , head here in the evening. If you are visiting this place, include Puri in your itenary which is around 31km from this place and is known for the famous Jagannath Puri Temple. A km away from Konark is the sandy beach with the Bay of Bengal in all its glory.
The water is clean but the beach is not , there are some sections that are free from plastic and waste while there are some that are not as clean.
Look out for those tiny little crabs in the sand or collect shells that are spread across the sand.
We were here during dawn and it was a pleasant sight watching the sun set while the moon was already up and shining.
Konark is around 70 km from Bhubaneswar and a drive of 100 mins should get you here. If you decide to go to Puri or visit Konark from Puri, the distance is 35km and the marine drive along the coast between Puri and Konark is scenic and breathtaking !
The state of Odisha in the eastern part of the Indian Sub-continent has many such attractions that are amazing. My 2 weeks journey to this state was filled with some amazing food and travel experiences and visiting Konark is something I would cherish for a while !
Nice write-up and beautiful pics 👍
Thanks for sharing 🙂
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I spent a very quick week in India in January and I loved it! Now I need to plan to get back for an extended period of time. This temple looks amazing! Thanks is for ilthe inspiration.
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Yup you should..Do plan an extended vacation as there is lot to see in the country ! Thanks for reading
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Beautiful photos. This place is on my bucket list. Surely visit the sun temple…Someday and according to your info I would go for the day time visit👍
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Incredible cultural richness 🙂 The scaffolds all over the building, does that mean there’s a restoration effort taking place?
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The scaffolding is going to be permanent I believe to protect the ruins and ensure stability of the structure.
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This place is new to me, looks amazing. I’ve never been to India but It’s definitely in my bucket list
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I can imagine at night the temple is spectacular with the light beaming off each sculpture. Is it busy at night? Visiting the temple during sun rise and sunset would be amazing – picture perfect. The beach looks so quiet, but shame that areas of the beach weren’t clean. Definitely will visit Konark – so pretty!
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Busy only during festivals or summer weekends
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This place is beautiful! I love the perfect mixture between a fun beach day and exploring ancient sites!
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Stunning site and photos, and especially that I love visiting temples and ancient sites, this was a fantastic read, will add to my list of places to explore, bookmarked this post. Thank you for sharing.
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I worked for six months in Bhubaneshwar and never visited Konark. Your post reminds me that I need to rectify that mistake. However, I’ll probably wait for the restoration work on the temple to be over.
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Thanks. The scaffolding are going to be permanent I believe to ensure stability of the structure and protect the ruins. Do visit when you get a chance
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Nice photos. I think that Konark looks beautiful both by day and night. I would enjoy visiting it some day. I would also enjoy walking down that beach 🙂 Not sure about those crabs though :D:D:D
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Lovely post and such amazing pictures.. 🙂
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I did not know Konark was so beautiful! Of course I have heard of it but seeing your pictures is something else! I see why you call it the land of sun and sand 🙂
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