All photos in this post were taken by Ajoy.
To see larger sizes of the photos, click on the photo and it will open in a separate window.
These photos were taken while I was in Orissa. The Konark Temple (aka Sun Temple) is close to Puri in Orissa. The nearest airport is in Bhubhaneshwar (capital of Orissa), from here there are plenty of trains to Puri. The train ride of about 120 minutes takes you through rural India (mostly rice paddy fields) which feels really nice.
The sun temple is an architectural and sculptural master piece carved in sandstone. People are not allowed inside the temple due to damage, though anyone (including foreigners) can tour the outside of the structure. The reason it got damaged is that it had a stone at the top which had strong magnetic properties. This stone affected the navigation compass of the ship crossing the bay of Bengal, leading them astray. Once the Portugese sailors found the cause they toppled the stone off the top this destabilized the structure. From then the temple is in disuse, it is now under archeological survey of India and anybody can visit it, it is no more a functional temple. The lawns around the temple are well kept. However in the Jagannath temple I believe foreigners are not allowed.
Enjoy a virtual tour of Konark Sun Temple as seen through the eyes of Ajoy!
Related Sites/Posts:
More of Ajoy's submissions, articles about temples and Hindu festivals in India here.
More of Ajoy's Photos, including Krishna Janamashtami, Vinzai Devi, and Saptashrungi Devi Pujas
Interesting book- talks about culture in Orissa - Women, Family, and Child Care in India: A World in Transition
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