Konarak: the sun temple of Orissa

Description: A 13th century temple to the Sun God on the coast of Orissa State. Pilgrims pray on the seashore at sunrise and then travel inland to make the ritual circumnambulations of the temple before entering the inner sanctum. The temple is designed as a great chariot for the Sun God, and its carvings and statues embody a wealth of religious symbolism. Various figures represent the phases of the solar cycle and the heavenly beings.