7 Major Tourist Attractions in Konark

Intricate Stone Wheel Carving at the Sun Temple in Konark

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Konark is a town in Puri district in Odisha, a state in East India. It is located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

There is something about Konark that sets it apart from the rest. It takes you on a journey of ambrosial food and transports you to the land of divine. Its culture echoes the past but resonates with the current generation at the same time. Around 17,000 people live in Konark.

How to Reach Konark?

Biju Patnaik International Airport is the nearest airport to Konark; it is around 61 kilometers from Konark. It is linked with cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Nagpur.

Puri Railway Station is the nearest railway station; it is around 31 kilometers from Konark. Konark is well-connected by road to various cities and towns in the region.

Hotels in Konark

Surya Inn
Labanya Lodge
Sun Temple Hotel
Yatrinivas

Sun Temple

This beautiful 13^th-century temple is built in Kalinga architecture. It was built by king Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga Dynasty. This colossal temple is dedicated to Sun God.

This masterpiece was designed in the form of a chariot mounted on 24 wheels and drawn by seven horses; it is a chariot for the Sun God. The diameter of each wheel is around 10 feet.

The Sun Temple is directly associated with the idea and belief of the personification of the Sun God, which is adumbrated in the Vedas and classical texts.

You will find exquisite stone carvings in this magnificent Hindu temple, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. It is a stunning monument of religious significance. It is also known as Konark temple.

Konark Sun Temple Facts

• 10 Interesting facts About the Sun Temple in Konark
  Interesting facts about the Sun Temple.

Konark Temple Story

• The Story behind the Legendary Konark Temple
  The world famous Konark temple of India is much more than its architectural brilliance. Every facet of the temple is rich in history, science, and culture!

Konark Temple Mystery

The cause of the destruction of the Konark temple is unclear and remains a source of controversy.

Theories range from natural damage to deliberate destruction of the temple in the course of being sacked several times by Muslim armies between the 15th and 17th centuries.

Speciality of Konark Temple

As per legend, the son of Lord Krishna, Samba, got the Konark Sun Temple constructed to honor Surya the Sun God, as the God had cured his leprosy.

Navagraha Temple

This temple is located just outside the Sun Temple compound. Inside this holy temple you will find a large chlorite slab. This slab is six meters long, 1.2 meters high and two metres deep. It contains richly ornamented idols of nine planets, which are known as Nava Graha in Sanskrit. Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Kethu are the Nava Grahas. These beautiful idols are made with black chlorite stone. People having Rahu dosha come here during Rahu Kalam and perform Abishekas.

Chandrabhaga Beach

Located around three kilometers from the Sun Temple, this beach is one of the finest beaches in the east coast of India. Many cultural activities are held in this beach.

In June 2018, this beach became Asia’s first beach to get the Blue Flag certification — a tag given to environment-friendly clean beaches, equipped with amenities of international standards for tourists.

To achieve the Blue Flag standards, a beach has to strictly comply with 33 environment and tourism-related conditions. The standards were established by the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in 1985.

— Arvind Nautiyal, project head of the Society for Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM)

Chandrabhaga Beach Images

Chandrabhaga Beach Hotel

• Hotels Near Chandrabhaga Beach

Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary

This wildlife sanctuary, which is in between Puri and Konark, covers an area of around 72 square kilometers. It extends from Banki Muhan near Puri to Keluni Muhan near Daluakani. Black buck is the star attraction in this sanctuary, which also houses other animals like spotted dear, stripped hyena, jungle cat and Olive Ridley sea turtles. Undulating sand dunes, lonely beaches, cashew plantations and casuarina groves in this area make it a memorable tourist destination.

Crabs at the Balukhand Reserve Forest beach

Wikimedia Commons

Ramchandi Beach

Ramchandi Beach is named after Goddess Ramchandi. This virgin beach is around seven kilometers from Konark sun temple. It is located on the convergence of the river Kusabhadra and the Bay of Bengal. This beautiful beach is well-known for its serene atmosphere and silvery sands.

Wonderful treat to the eyes, the river meets the sea, just about here! The temple is not far away, a visit to the shire and learning the history makes for a great experience.

— Raja M

Ramchandi Beach Distance from Bhubaneswar

82 kilometers

Konarak ASI museum

Located just outside the Sun Temple, this museum houses 250 different kinds of antiques.

Kuruma Buddhist Monastery.

Known for proffering a great insight to the Buddhism culture of Odisha, this monastery is located 8.6 kms to the south-east of the Sun Temple.

Konark Dance Festival

This 5-day annual dance festival is held in December, usually between 1 and 5, in the backdrop of the Sun temple.

Started in the year 1986 at Konark Natya Mandap by Padmashree Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, this festival is the harbinger of the contemporary festivals of Orissa.

International Sand Art Festival

International Sand Art Festival is an annual cultural event organized by the Orissa Tourism Department. It is held on the Chandrabhaga beach.

Safety Tips

Follow rules. For instance if you are asked not to swim in a particular beach, do not swim. Avoid poorly lit streets, deserted areas and narrow alleys after sunset. Do not get into unnecessary arguments with strangers, especially on sensitive topics like culture, religion, language, etc.