Konark Sun Temple
Konark Sun Temple
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shaik786
Bengaluru, India547 contributions
May 2020
Very beautiful temple, built over 7 decades ago. Carved out of rocks with such precision and art without any machines whatsoever. Very well maintained with lush green gardens around. Market place to buy souvenirs at the entrance
Written April 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Uma m
18 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
28 km from Puri. This is a must see place Excellently maintained clean and beautiful place.
Reasonable entrance fee. Ample parking space.
Guides available for standardised rates. Please keep at least 4 hrs for this place. Mind boggling architecture. Please see the light show at 6 pm. Tickets issued at 5:30 pm. Rs 50/- per person.
Toilets are not maintained well.
The IOC museum is excellent. Worth a visit. Entrance of 30 is worth it.
Reasonable entrance fee. Ample parking space.
Guides available for standardised rates. Please keep at least 4 hrs for this place. Mind boggling architecture. Please see the light show at 6 pm. Tickets issued at 5:30 pm. Rs 50/- per person.
Toilets are not maintained well.
The IOC museum is excellent. Worth a visit. Entrance of 30 is worth it.
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ss
Srinagar, India90 contributions
Feb 2021 • Couples
Well maintained and clean. Must visit. There is an archeological museum before it on left side. Must visit. There is whole history of konark temple. Also a beautiful animated movie on building of the temple. Visit chandrabhaga beach. Light and sound show s there except for Monday. Friday konark temple s closed.
Written February 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Padmini15
Mumbai, India1,639 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
King Narasimhadeva ordered the Konark temple to be built in 12 years and threatened them with death if they exceeded the time limit.12 thousand men worked under the chief architect Bisu Maharana .Stones were brought from Udaigiri n Khandagiri ,carved and held interlocked by metal strips which in turn was held together by a giant magnet. However on the penultimate day there was a everything was over other than the placing of the crown stone.Out of nowhere appeared Dharmpada,the lost son of Bisu Maharana who fixed the problem. The Chief architect was still sad as the King would still punish the 12000 workers with death as they were inefficient.. it was obvious that Dharmpada did what the workers couldn't manage to do. Dharmpada was distressed at this and ended his life by jumping into the Chandrabhaga river from the temple. Considered unholy due to his death which saved the life of 12000 workers ,the ashtadhatu (alloy of 8 metals) statue of Surya stands till date without being worshipped!!
Written October 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Durgasankar Mandal
Pune, India2,311 contributions
Oct 2018
Sun God has seven horses - signifying the VIBGYOR. The chariot of the sun has 24 wheels - signifying the 24 fortnights in a year. Each wheel representing a day. It has eight spokes - each representing a Prahar. 1 prahar is 3 hours. Each prahar has 60 dots each representing 3 minutes time span. The lower half of the chariot wheel represents the day - 4 prahars (4 x3) = 12 hours. The upper half represents the night. We have now got a sun-watch. The sunrays incident on the wheel will denote time of day.
The visit is now has an entry fee of Rs.40 for citizens of the member countries of the SAARC. And for people that are members outside of SAARC it is Rs. 600. Wheel chair is available for older people or people with week knees or walking difficulties on Rent.
The visit is now has an entry fee of Rs.40 for citizens of the member countries of the SAARC. And for people that are members outside of SAARC it is Rs. 600. Wheel chair is available for older people or people with week knees or walking difficulties on Rent.
Written October 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nishant P
22 contributions
Mar 2020
Konark sun temple is truly outstanding, however the town is kind of sleepy. I visited Konark in mid March which is not the best time to visit. This time had both pros and cons. It was not swarming with tourists which was good but as the sun went down the whole town kind of went in slumber. If you are not with a vehicle I will recommend to stay in Puri which is only 30 KM away and visit Konark as a day trip.
Best attraction was the light and sound show. I have seen many light and sound shows around India and can say very confidently it was among the best. There are two shows every evening in English, Hindi and Oriya. If you can understand Hindi then go for it as stories nuances and emotions truly come out only in Hindi. They hand you a Bluetooth headset and you can select language of your choice. Whole thing costs only Rs. 40 (for Indians) and is extremely inexpensive for the marvelous show they present.
There are many hotels around but not any luxury options. I visited many places in Orissa and Konark is the only place where I was troubled by mosquito. So make your hotel choice accordingly.
At night after the light and sound show I was looking for restaurants for dinner. Most of them seemed to be closed and after roaming for about half an hour I saw a ramshackle hut which had a Dhaba. From looks it looked filthy and did not seem like a place where you can expect a hygienic well prepared meal. For some places it is said don't be fooled by looks, and though it is said for fancy looking things and places which turn out to be horrible. Thankfully for this it was the other way around. I ordered naan and egg curry. It was probably the best Naan I ever had. Naan was both crispy and fluffy and seemed like being prepared by a tandoor master. Egg curry was also unusual but tasty. It was urad daal with scrambled egg (egg bhurji) and not the whole boiled egg served with a fiery curry served as Egg Curry in North India. It was not hygienic but was among the best dhaba food I had in a long time. It is at the tri-section where buses coming from Bhubhaneshwar. No name for this place.
I visited the Sun Temple in morning. Oriyas are the master of temple building and had taken the temple architecture to new heights in India. It defies belief that such a massive stone temple can be created with precision and exquisite beauty 800 years ago. To add to the complexity it was created over a river bed which merged into sea. Sea receded over time and river dried. Stones were not readily available being so close to sea and had to be hauled up from great distances. This place is steeped in history and I took up a guide which after negotiations costed me Rs. 200. While most guides have the same story to tell and some parts of story do not match with story told in the light and sound show, they are still recommended.
This place is a UNESCO world heritage site and truly deserves to be. Best time to visit will be winters and in early morning when the first light of the day passes through the first temple and falls on the deity in the second temple.
Best attraction was the light and sound show. I have seen many light and sound shows around India and can say very confidently it was among the best. There are two shows every evening in English, Hindi and Oriya. If you can understand Hindi then go for it as stories nuances and emotions truly come out only in Hindi. They hand you a Bluetooth headset and you can select language of your choice. Whole thing costs only Rs. 40 (for Indians) and is extremely inexpensive for the marvelous show they present.
There are many hotels around but not any luxury options. I visited many places in Orissa and Konark is the only place where I was troubled by mosquito. So make your hotel choice accordingly.
At night after the light and sound show I was looking for restaurants for dinner. Most of them seemed to be closed and after roaming for about half an hour I saw a ramshackle hut which had a Dhaba. From looks it looked filthy and did not seem like a place where you can expect a hygienic well prepared meal. For some places it is said don't be fooled by looks, and though it is said for fancy looking things and places which turn out to be horrible. Thankfully for this it was the other way around. I ordered naan and egg curry. It was probably the best Naan I ever had. Naan was both crispy and fluffy and seemed like being prepared by a tandoor master. Egg curry was also unusual but tasty. It was urad daal with scrambled egg (egg bhurji) and not the whole boiled egg served with a fiery curry served as Egg Curry in North India. It was not hygienic but was among the best dhaba food I had in a long time. It is at the tri-section where buses coming from Bhubhaneshwar. No name for this place.
I visited the Sun Temple in morning. Oriyas are the master of temple building and had taken the temple architecture to new heights in India. It defies belief that such a massive stone temple can be created with precision and exquisite beauty 800 years ago. To add to the complexity it was created over a river bed which merged into sea. Sea receded over time and river dried. Stones were not readily available being so close to sea and had to be hauled up from great distances. This place is steeped in history and I took up a guide which after negotiations costed me Rs. 200. While most guides have the same story to tell and some parts of story do not match with story told in the light and sound show, they are still recommended.
This place is a UNESCO world heritage site and truly deserves to be. Best time to visit will be winters and in early morning when the first light of the day passes through the first temple and falls on the deity in the second temple.
Written April 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PMtraveller2
Mumbai, India609 contributions
Oct 2018 • Family
The Konark Sun Temple is a wonder of the world not just for its brilliant architecture but also its engineering. Though the main worship area in the temple (garbha griha) is in ruins and is closed off due to falling debris, it tells a story of magnificent engineering with a suspended idol of Surya, the sun god held in place by powerful magnets.
The temple is a chariot of stone with 24 wheels representing the 24 hours in a day and each wheel is a sundial that can depict the time even today. Each wheel has 8 spokes to divide the day into 8 Praharas (ancient measurement of time in blocks of 3 hours)
Its best to take a licensed guide to see the monument. The cell nos of the guides are enclosed in the pic taken from the notice board of the tourism office close by. Please ask for the official rate card. (Its about Rs 240 for 2 hours).
The best time to visit is early morning and evening. The light would be good for pictures and you can avoid the heat. You need to budget about 2-3 hours for a proper tour with pictures.
Please do not miss the excellent light and sound shows that are conducted twice in the evening starting at 7pm. The show costs Rs 50 and is run in 3 languages for 250 guests.
Spending a day in this architecture marvel is a must do for any traveller in/to India.
The temple is a chariot of stone with 24 wheels representing the 24 hours in a day and each wheel is a sundial that can depict the time even today. Each wheel has 8 spokes to divide the day into 8 Praharas (ancient measurement of time in blocks of 3 hours)
Its best to take a licensed guide to see the monument. The cell nos of the guides are enclosed in the pic taken from the notice board of the tourism office close by. Please ask for the official rate card. (Its about Rs 240 for 2 hours).
The best time to visit is early morning and evening. The light would be good for pictures and you can avoid the heat. You need to budget about 2-3 hours for a proper tour with pictures.
Please do not miss the excellent light and sound shows that are conducted twice in the evening starting at 7pm. The show costs Rs 50 and is run in 3 languages for 250 guests.
Spending a day in this architecture marvel is a must do for any traveller in/to India.
Written November 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sasidar30
Coimbatore, India62 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
Try avoiding a visit in the month of December.. especially when you have young children, as the crowd is too much.
They have a quick video walk through to explain about the history and the significance of the place. They charge 30 rupees for a 15 minute tour. They also have details about individual statues inside the temple and are explained in detail.
They have a quick video walk through to explain about the history and the significance of the place. They charge 30 rupees for a 15 minute tour. They also have details about individual statues inside the temple and are explained in detail.
Written December 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alka Varma
New Delhi, India1,587 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
The Sun Temple in Konarak is located near the shore of The Bay of Bengal. Its a 13th century temple. It is said the first ray of the sun fell on the temple door. The whole structure is unbelievably beautiful carved in stone. Dedicated to the Sun God, it has 24 carved wheels drawn by 7 horses evoking it's movement across the heaven. Between the wheels, the plinth of the temple is entirely decorated with sculptures of animals and human figures including erotic ones.
The entry inside the temple is banned and it is well guarded. The audience hall is in ruins. So the visitors go around the temple admiring it's beautiful Kalingan temple architecture. It was constructed in 12 years by 1200 artisans.
The Archeaological Survey of India is restoring the exterior of the walls with craftsmanship as it has gone through the vagaries of nature including saline breeze, microbiological growth and natural disasters.
One can take a guide who charges Rs 250 for an hour. Interestingly he showed us how the time of the day was calculated by the shadow of the Sun's rays on the wheel of the chariot. Tickets are Rs 40 for an adult. Enjoy the well maintained gardens here. Outside the temple are some craft shops.
One can drive on well metalled roads from Puri and on the way stop and enjoy the beauty of Chandrabhaga beach.
The entry inside the temple is banned and it is well guarded. The audience hall is in ruins. So the visitors go around the temple admiring it's beautiful Kalingan temple architecture. It was constructed in 12 years by 1200 artisans.
The Archeaological Survey of India is restoring the exterior of the walls with craftsmanship as it has gone through the vagaries of nature including saline breeze, microbiological growth and natural disasters.
One can take a guide who charges Rs 250 for an hour. Interestingly he showed us how the time of the day was calculated by the shadow of the Sun's rays on the wheel of the chariot. Tickets are Rs 40 for an adult. Enjoy the well maintained gardens here. Outside the temple are some craft shops.
One can drive on well metalled roads from Puri and on the way stop and enjoy the beauty of Chandrabhaga beach.
Written December 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dnyaneshwari
Mumbai, India46 contributions
Feb 2018 • Friends
It was a very hot day when I visited it, the afternoon sun almost causing dehydration.But the guide Mr Ranjankishor Behura ( mob no 9938954545 ) was extremely good with in- depth knowledge. He showed all the intricate details which threw light on socialogical order of that era, which we would have missed surely without his expert guidance. It is a spectacular must see sight and our guide made it come alive for us with his knowledge. Please carry caps, sunglasses and sufficiant water with you.
Written April 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Companion60720756125
Johannesburg South, South Africa
Is it true the sun rises inside the kkonark temple
Written November 11, 2022
Yes, But for now it is closed and under renovations by Archeological Department of India and is expecting to open for public in 2023 (Tentative).
Written November 14, 2022
What time the sunrise can.be observed ? Also, is 2hrs enough to see the temple?
What time is light show ?
Written August 8, 2018
Sunrise cannot be seen at the temple. The pictures on Google are misleading. The sea shore is the place to see the sunrise. In earlier days the temple was located near the shore but as the sea receded the temple is now about 2 kilometres away from the sea shore.
If I remember right the show ( English version) starts at 7pm
Written August 8, 2018
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