Konark
Konark
(lat. 19.53'N; long. 86.06'E) is a small town in Puri distrit. The Bay of Bengal
is barely 4 kilometer away. It is 70 km from Bhubaneswar. The name Konark is
a variant of Konark which means the Arka (Sun) of Kona (corner), the corner
being that of Trikona on the bank of the Kushabhadra.
The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture,
and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world.
The poet Rabindranath Tagore said of Konark that 'here the language of stone
surpasses the language of man', and it is true that the experience of Konark
is impossible to translate into words.
Places of Interest in Konark
Bhubaneswar Airport
Approach: Bhubaneswar is well connected by air, rail and road to the rest of
India. The modern Biju Patnaik airport is being extended to receive wide bodied
aircraft, and one may well see international charters landing here soon.
Best time to visit:
Bhubaneswar can be visited round the year, but the ideal time, especially for
visitors from colder climes, would be from October to March.
Excursions in Bhubaneshwar
Dhauli (8 km)*
Surrounded by paddy fields, the Dhauli hill brings back memories of the historic
'Kalinga war' which was fought around here. It is here that Ashoka, the terrible,
was transformed into Ashoka, the compassionate and championed the cause of Buddhism.
On the foot of the hill one can see the Rock Edicts of Ashoka and the forepart
of a skillfully sculpted elephant hewn out of a huge rock. Dhauli has gained
prominence due to the establishment of a Buddhist Peace Pagoda, popularly known
as Shanti Stupa, built in the early seventies by the Japan Buddha Sangha and
Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha. An old temple of Lord Dhavaleswar, reconstructed
in 1972, also stands on the hill-top.
Sisupalgarh
Just two km from the famed Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar lie the ruins of Sisupalgarh.
Dating back to the third or fourth century BC, these ruins show that even at
that early date there was a well fortified city here, and establish the fact
that the Orissan civilization has very ancient roots.
Hirapur (15 km)*
Hirapur has the 11th century Hypaethral temple of sixty four Yoginis. It is
second of its kind in Orissa and one of four such unique temples in India.
Atri(42 km)*
Situated amidst greenery and famous for the hot sulphur water spring, Atri,
42 km. from Bhubaneswar and 14 km. from Khurda, is also a holy place with the
shrine of Hatakeswar. A bath in the spring water is reputed to cure skin diseases
apart from being a pleasant experience.
