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All records agree in ascribing the
erection of the temple to King Narasinghadeva, who ruled from A.D.
1238 to 1264. Inscriptions record the fact that he built a temple to
the sun-god at Konark, from which it appears that the modern name
stands for Konark, meaning the arka (sun-god) at Kona. According
to local tradition, its construction took 16 years a not improbable
fact and it will be safe therefore to ascribe the date of its
completion to the third quarter of the 13th century. The
first account of the temple which we find apart from the Orissa
records is in the Ain-Akbari of Abul Fazi, which was based on
reports furnished to the Mughal Government. It is follows: - Near Jagannath is a temple dedicated to the sun. Its cost was
defrayed by twelve years revenue of the province.
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Even those whose judgment is
critical, and who are difficult to please, stand
astonished at its sight. The wall is 150 cubits high
and 19 thick. It has three portals. The eastern has
carved upon it the figures of two finely designed
elephants, each of them carrying a man upon his trunk.
The western bears sculpture of two horsemen with
trapping and ornaments and an elephant. The northern
has two tigers, each of which is rampant upon an
elephant that it has overpowered. In front is an
octagonal column of black stone, 50 yards high. When
nine flights of steps are passed, a spacious court
appears, with a large arch of stone, upon which are
carved the sun and other planets. |
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Around them are a variety of
worshippers of every class, each after its manner,
with bowed heads, standing, sitting, prostrated,
laughing, weeping, lost in amaze, or wrap in
attention, and following these are strange animals
which never existed but in imagination.
It is said that, somewhat
over 730 years ago, Raja Narsingha Deo completed this stupendous fabric
and left this might memorial to posterity.
Twenty-eight temples stand in its vicinity, six before
the entrance and twenty-two without the enclosure,
each of which has its separated legend. |
