"Honour and Pride of India": CEC Gyanesh Kumar on visiting Konark Sun Temple

Puri (Odisha) [India], December 27 (ANI): Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday visited the Konark Sun Temple in Puri, Odisha, along with his wife, Anuradha Kumar, a retired IAS officer and praised the temple’s architecture, calling it the country’s honour and pride. He emphasised the temple as a marvel for its sculptures, mythology, and the scientific methods used in its construction. He said that the architecture of the temple reflected how advanced the culture and science of India might have been many years ago. Speaking with the reporters, he said, “This temple not only reflects the rich cultural heritage of Odisha, but it also shows how advanced the culture and science of India were many years ago.” He added, “The area’s

sculptures, mythology and the scientific ways in which this sun temple was built, I get surprised, and the belief is also set in stone that Konark’s temple is the country’s honour and pride.” According to the Odisha government’s official tourism website, the Sun Temple at Konark is the pinnacle of Odisha Temple Architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple is a culmination of seven hundred years of grind in search of perfection. Built in the 12th Century AD by King Narasimha Deva I and dedicated to the Sun God, the Sun Temple at Konark continues to leave us spellbound with its massive structure, symmetry, precision and intricate detailing. The website stated, “According to archaeologists, the height of the Sun Temple at Konark is estimated to be around 227 feet, making it one of the tallest temples ever built in the country. However, what remains today is the impressive Jagamohana (Entrance Hall), with the sanctum sanctorum having almost collapsed. The other structure that still stands amidst the ruins is the Natya Mandap minus the roof.” The temple was designed as a chariot of the Sun God, driven by twenty-four beautifully carved wheels and pulled by seven horses. Apart from its beauty, what captivates historians is the scientific precision. For example, the wheels are designed in such a way that one can gauge the time of the day by looking at the shadow cast on the spokes of the wheels by the sun. Not only that the carvings of the spokes and axes denote the activities that one normally does at that time of the day. The wheels, popularly known as Konark Chakr,a is a popular souvenir collected by the tourists visiting the temple. The temple was constructed using three types of stones – the laterite stone for the boundary walls, flooring and staircase, Khondalite for the structure and Chlorite stone for the door jams and lintel. The use of iron strips to hold the structure together can be seen amongst the ruins of the temple. Some experts are of the opinion that the Sun Temple was built in the sea, giving an impression of the Sun God emerging out of the water at daybreak. The European sailors referred to the temple as Black Pagoda because of the darkish impression of the roof of the temple. It served as an important landmark for the sailors navigating through the Bay of Bengal in those days. According to the website, Rabindranath Tagore uttered these famous words on seeing the magnificent Sun Temple at Konark – “Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man”. (ANI)