Konark Sun Temple: Unveiling its history, myths, and magnetic mysteries

The Konark Sun Temple in Odisha, one of the Unesco World Heritage Sites, is one of India’s most fascinating architectural wonders. Carvings on the Konark Sun Temple walls Nearby, the Melakkadambur Shiva Temple and the Nata Mandir reflect similar architectural grandeur, with their own unique carvings and designs dedicated to deities and celestial influences. LEGEND OF DHARMAPADA, THE CHIEF ARCHITECT'S SON One of the most popular legends about the Konark Sun Temple involves Dharmapada, a 12-year-old boy, and his father Bishu Maharana, the chief architect. It says that when King Narasimhadeva I commissioned the Konark Sun Temple in the 13th century CE, the task of constructing this grand structure was given to 1,200 artisans led by chief architect Bisu Maharana. While the location of Mitravana corresponds roughly to the region where the Konark Sun Temple stands, there is no definitive evidence linking Samba’s mythical temple directly to the current Konark structure.