Vignettes from land of Black Pagoda

Vignettes from land of Black Pagoda

No visit to Puri is complete without travelling to Konark renowned as the land of Black Pagoda. 

 

Yatri Niwas

 

 

I recall my last visit to Konark when I had stayed at Yatri Niwas run by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation for a few days. At Konark, I had a chance to explore the coastal destination that is barely 30 km drive from Puri and 64 km from Bhubaneshwar.

 

Also known as Arkashetra, Konark is derived form two words- Kona and Ark that imply “corner of the sun”. The old-world town of Konark is untouched by the influence of the jet age. History flows on that Konark was widely known as the forest of “Maitra Aranya” on the banks of river Chandrabhaga way, way back in the medieval period. 

 

In today’s era, the river has dried up and only a miniature pond remains close to Chandrabhaga beach where devotees congregate on the occasion of Shukla Sapatmi in the month of January to take a holy dip in the legendary river to wash away one’s sins.

Enchanting Sun Temple

 

Sun Temple

 

The beauty of Konark is its Sun temple or the Black Pagoda that reflects a glorious heritage of Odisha. Steeped in mute silence, the colossal Black Pagoda has a potted history of its own. Listed as a world heritage monument, the Sun temple is on the “to-go” list among all segments of tourists. The magnificent 13^th century temple, built by the Ganga king, Narasimhadeva in honour of the Sun God has a rich display of Odishan architecture. In fact, it is a magic created in stone and is one of the masterpieces of Kalinga art. 

 

The Chariot at Sun Temple

 

The rock-cut temple was built in the shape of a huge chariot with seven horses and twelve pairs of divine giant wheels each measuring 10 feet high that are engraved on both the sides and carry the reigning deity forming the highpoint of the temple. 

 

There are numerous images carved on the walls of the temple that depict superb works of craftsmanship of Odishan architecture. There is a detached structure- the Natamandir or the dancing hall built on a square platform and has a flight of steps. The Navgraha temple dedicated to nine planets lies adjacent to the Sun temple.

Chandrabhaga sea beach

 

Chandrabhaga

 

Once our Sun temple tour was over, we were off to the isolated silver beach of Chandrabhaga. Just a few kilometres away from the Sun temple, the pristine Chandrabhaga beach has the verdant beauty of lush coconut groves that tempts all segments of tourists. 

 

Once upon a time, tourists rarely visited the beach but new-age tourists crowd the palm-fringed beach that is steeped in tradition and has a long coastline. In the twilight hours, at Chandrabhaga, it is a sheer delight to watch the last rays of the sun play with the silver beach. We did not forget to visit the age-old Hanuman Chalisa shrine near the beach that finds its mention in the Puranic texts.

Legendary Ramachandi shrine

 

The Shrine of Ramachandi

 

For pilgrims on a tour of Puri and Konark, a visit to the pilgrim point of Ramachandi is another wonderful experience. Nearly 8 km from Konark, the shrine of Ramachandi is at the confluence of river Kushabhadra meeting the Bay of Bengal.

 

A half-an-hour drive from Konark brought us to the tranquil environs of Ramachandi in the midst of casuarina-lined roads on Konark-Puri Marine Drive Road. The shrine flaunts a typical Odishan architecture with lions adorning the apex of the temple. Moreover, there is mythological significance associated with the shrine that mentions about the existence of legendary Goddess Ramachandi. 

 

Ten avatars of Goddess Ramachandi

 

Back in the 16^th century, the Goddess had foiled the attempt of Kalapahar who had set out to demolish the Sun temple at Konark. The Puranic text mentioned in the shrine premises highlights that it was the Goddess who had suggested Lord Rama, the plan to conquer Lanka. 

 

The shrine premises is adorned with ten statues depicting the different forms of the Goddesses including Kali, Lakshmi, Dhumawati, Bagla, Chinnamasta et al. After the darshan of the shrine is over, one can get to see the Kalpavat or the sacred banyan tree in the shrine complex believed to fulfil the desires of pilgrims.