Legend of Konark Temple ||  Legend of Samba  ||  Building of Temple  ||  Other sights at Konark       General information
 

           Many curious legends are related about the construction and desertion of the Konark temple. Out of the mist of legends first is taken form the palm-leaf chronicles, and the second is current in the neighboring villages. Raja Narasingha deva, it is in honour of the sun-god. When the stones were being thrown into the lotus covered pool at the sacred site, they were swallowed by Raghab fish. This untoward circumstance deeply distressed dharna (supplication). The goddess, assuming the shape of an old woman, appeared before him, and having asked him to take some bhogas, handed him a leaf covered with some Khir, i.e. confection of rice and milk. Sivai put his hand into the middle and was scalded, at which the goddess said: - “You are doing just as Sivai has been doing in order to build his temple.

The stones are being thrown in the middle and are being swallowed by the big Raghab fish. They should be thrown in from the sides.” On hearing this, Sivai Santra had the stones cast in close to the sides of the pool, and thus gradually built up a foundation upon which the temple was erected.  Another legend runs that for 16 years 1,200 carpenters and boy at home, and when he had grown to manhood, his mother sent him in search of his father. As a sign by which the young man might know his father, she gave him the fruit of a barkoli tree that grew in the courtyard, telling him that only his father, who alone could name the place from which it had come. After finishing their day’s work, the masons went away; but the son worked the whole night, and completed the porch with surprise this astounding feat and learnt that the work had been done by the new-comer.

They then angrily asked his father if he preferred his son to all his fellow-workmen; for they said: - “if your son is allowed to go on in this way, he will soon finish building the temple; and we will lose not only our daily bread, but also our lives; for the king will think we have been neglecting our work.” The father then sorrowfully declared his preference for his fellow-workers, climbed to the top, where his son was still working, and hurled him don to the pavement below. But a curse fell on the work, and the porch was left unfinished up to the final vase. A quaint legend is told about the desertion of the fane. It is said that a lode-stone of immense size was formerly lodged in the summit of the great tower, which like Sinbad the sailor’s rock, had the effect of drawing ashore all vessels passing near the coast.

 At last in the time of the Mughal rule, the crew of a ship landed at a distance, and stealing down the coast, attacked the temple, scaled the tower, and carried off the lode-stone. The priests, alarmed at this violation of the sanctity of their shrine, removed the image of the god to Puri, where it has remained ever since; and from that date the temple became deserted and went rapidly to ruin.

 Legend of Konark Temple ||  Legend of Samba  ||  Building of Temple  ||  Other sights at Konark       General information