Conservation Plan for Konark Temple | 14 Feb 2020

The Union Government has decided to restore and preserve the nearly 800-year-old Konark Sun Temple, Odisha.

Earlier, the monument had entered into controversy over allegations that the stone carvings on the outer surface were being replaced with plain blocks of stones causing irreplaceable loss to the uniqueness of the temple.

Konark was built by King Narasimhadeva I (1238-1264AD) in the 13^th century and is located in Eastern Odisha near the sacred city of Puri.
- King Narasimhadeva I was a famous ruler of the Ganga Dynasty and with his accession to the throne, the Ganga Dynasty reached its zenith.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1984).
Dedicated to the Sun God, Konark is the culmination of Odisha temple architecture, and one of the most outstanding monuments of religious architecture in the world.
Its scale, refinement and conception represent the strength and stability of the Ganga Dynasty as well as the value systems of the historic milieu.
The entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with 7 horses and 24 wheels, carrying the sun god, Surya, across the heavens.
- ‘Konarka’, the place bears a name composed of two world elements : KONA meaning corner and ARKA meaning the Sun.
- The Sun god worshipped in Ark Kshetra is also called Konark.
- In 'Brahma Purana' the Sun God in Ark-kshetra has been described as Konaditya.
- Surya has been a popular deity in India since the Vedic period.