Konark Sun Temple

Samba, the handsome son of Lord Krishna, was cursed with leprosy after a misunderstanding. No medicine, no penance could cure him. For twelve long years he prayed to Surya, the Sun God, standing in the shallow waters of the Chandrabhaga river at Konark. Finally, Surya descended, healed him completely, and blessed this shore forever.

Centuries later, King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty embarked on the most ambitious building project of medieval India. He gathered 12,000 master artisans and 1,200 architects and told them to build a temple in the shape of the Sun God's celestial chariot — the very chariot that pulls the sun across the sky each day. The result took 12 years to complete.

The completed temple was a single massive stone chariot with 24 intricately carved wheels, pulled by seven massive horses. But the most astonishing feature is that the wheels actually function as sundials — you can tell the precise time of day to the minute by the shadow cast on the wheel's spokes. This astronomical precision, achieved in the 13th century, continues to baffle modern engineers.

A twelve-year-old boy named Dharmapada, the son of the chief architect, solved an engineering puzzle that had stumped all 12,000 artisans — how to place the final capstone without the structure collapsing. Knowing that his father would be executed for failing, the boy climbed to the top alone, placed the stone perfectly, and then — according to legend — jumped into the sea so that his father would not be blamed for bringing a child into the workspace. The temple is often called the "Black Pagoda" by European sailors who used it as a navigation landmark.

Built in the 13th century by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Used as a navigation landmark by European sailors.

The Konark Dance Festival held every February brings classical dancers from across India. Magha Saptami celebrates the Sun God.

Shaped like a colossal stone chariot with 24 carved wheels (functioning sundials), pulled by 7 horses. Originally stood 228 feet tall.