KONARK
The Unique Seat of Sun-God

Further, the main temple with its porch and principal halls are so designed that the first rays of the Sun fall directly on the head of Mitraditya the main image after passing through the halls. And the wheels are so fashioned and fitted to form sun clocks, enabling the reading of time according to the position of the Sun during the day. The whole mass of this giganatic temple is surrounded by a huge conclosure, measuring 875 x 540 feet, with thick walls of varying width between 20-25 feet. This architectural marvel with unusual dimensions ranking very high among the uniques, fell to the fury of Kalapahad, the Muslim ruler of Bengal in 1568. Alas! its glory departed with the displacement of the arch-stone and the mutilation of all the art treasures, embellishing every inch of that grand structure. Later, earthquakes and lightnings erased its remaining beauty, leaving a few tall and remarkable portions to tell its sad tale to the world. The havoc caused by a terrible cyclone in 1848 completely buried its unearthly glory in the send dunes.

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