Holy Place in Orissa

TOURISTS PLACES OF ORISSA - Konark, the city of the Sun Temple, is situated 65 kms South of Bhubaneswar and is easily accessible by a good motorable road. Built in the 13th century, by Raja Narasimhadeva, the Sun Temple was designed as' the Chariot of Surya, the Sun God, and is the most exquisite specimen of Orissan craftsmanship. It stood by the sea and was christened 'The Black Pagoda' by European sailors. Today it lies about 2 km from the shore and only the large audience hall survives. The sun rises over the ocean and casts its first rays on the sanctum sanctorum. Drawn by seven magnificent, straining horses carved in stone, the temple chariot has twenty four intricately carved giant wheels (3m diameter) whose replicas are seen today in many a hotel lobby. A classical dance and music festival is held here every December. The "chhun chhun" of ankle bells with every step of the dancer and the lilting strains of the flute rising from this ancient monument, make for a haunting memory.

PURI - The Konark-Puri marine drive is 32 kms along the coast. It takes you to one of the four Hindu 'dhams' (sacred pilgrim centres), Puri, where the glorious, 12th century Jagannath Temple stands in the heart of the town. The Rath Yatra in each June-July (Chariot Festival of the Gods) witnesses thousands of devotees vying with each other to pull three wooden chariots carrying the idols of Lord Jagannath, his younger sister Subhadhra and elder brother Baibhadra. Difficult to get moving, the immense chariots (14m high, llm square, 16 wheels each over 2m in diameter) are virtually impossible to stop once they get rolling, and gave rise to the English term "Juggernaut". The temple tower is 65 m high, topped by the mystic wheel, the 'chakra' of Krishna. The temple is the abode of Lord Jagannath - literally, 'the Lord of the Universe'.

When one embarks on a journey to the Holy Places in Orissa, India, the temples of the state that exhibit a majestic grandeur can't be missed. An Orissan temple (deul) generally consists of a sanctum, one or more than one front porches (jagamohana) usually having pyramidal roofs, a hall of offerings (bhog mandir) and a dancing hall (nata mandir). The Lingaraj temple at Bhubaneswar is a visual treat with its 150 foot high deul whereas the Janannath Temple at Puri is almost 200 feet high, thereby dominating the skyline of the town. The Sun Temple at Konark is another place worth a visit which stands tall as a masterpiece of the Orissan architecture.

Bhubaneswar