Orissa Review * April - 2006 Antiquity of Arkakshetra Konark Dr. Benudhar Patra Konark, popularly known as Arkakshetra is one the South Eastern Railway and the nearest airport of the important urban centers of ancient Orissa. is Bhubaneswar. Regular public and tourist bus It is otherwise known as Padmakshetra. It is services and taxis are available to reach the spot. one of the five great religious kshetras (pilgrimage Konark, Puri and Bhubaneswar traditionally centers / sacred places) located in Orissa, the formed the 'Golden Triangle' on the tourist map other four being Puri, Bhubaneswar, of Orissa. The sight of early morning sun-rise at Mahavinayak and Jajpur. Besides religious the sea beach near Konark is unparalleled. importance Konark being situated on the coast The name Konark like Bhubaneswar is in of the Bay of Bengal had also commercial most likelihood derived from the name of the importance as well. The place, however, is very presiding deity Konark, which means the Arka famous for the stupendous Sun Temple which has (sun) of Kona (corner). The kona or corner is attracted thousands of visitors from different parts presumably so being in relation to trikona, in the of the world. The temple is also known as Black corner direction of which the temple was erected. Pagoda in contradistinction to the White Pagoda The determination of the antiquity of the site, - the Jagannath Temple of Puri (white washed however, is a baffling task. Scholars have Temple), a name given to it by the early European 1 divergent opinions in this regard. In the opinion mariners for whom it formed a prominent 2 landmark in their coastal voyage. It is included in of W.W. Hunter , Konark signifies Kona+Arka, UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1984, and the corner of the sun, or the corner of Arka 'considered to be of outstanding value to Kshetra i.e. the corner of the region of Orissa, humanity', and belong to all mankind. dedicated to the Sun". From an analysis it is evident that the area in and around Konark is full 0 0 Konark (lat. 19 53'N; long. 86 06'E.) is of antiquities, and systematic survey is likely to situated within 3 km of the Bay of Bengal in the result in the discovery of the remains of ancient Puri district of Orissa. The place is well connected temples and sculptures. by good all-weather motorable roads from Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa and Puri, The antiquity of Konark as a famous the district headquarters. The road distance is 66 kshetra (pilgrimage center) for sun worship, km from Bhubaneswar and 85 km from Puri via however, is substantiated in numerous texts such Pipli. It is 35 km from Puri on marine drive. The as the Brahma Purana, the Tirtha Chintamani nearest rail heads are Bhubaneswar and Puri on and the Kapila Samhita. Legends as embodied 7 Orissa Review * April - 2006 in the Kapila Samhita (a work of the 14th families (the sun worshippers) from Shakadvipa Century A.D.), the Madala Panji (Chronicle of (Iran) who not only performed the rituals, but also the Jagannath temple at Puri) and the Prachi popularized the cult of sun worship in this part of Mahatmya (all three are the later Orissan Texts) the country. Scholars tries to identify take the sanctity of Konark back to the mythical Chandrabhaga with the Chenab river in Punjab, times. Debala Mitra3 is of the opinion that legends a tributary of the Indus and thus, locates the site of these late texts are an obvious adaptation of a in the Punjab (modern Multan). They even says much earlier tradition as recorded in the that the shifting of the legend to Konark was done Bhavishya Purana and Samba Purana. obviously at a period when the locality became a According to these Puranas4, Samba, son of Sri center of Sun worship, the motive behind it being Krishna and Jambavati was overly proud of his no doubt, to augment the sanctity and fame of the handsome appearance and once ridiculed the new center by making it the site of Samba's original divine sage Narada. Narada who even ordinarily temple".6 This argument of the scholars on the was known as a mischief maker, took recourse following grounds, however, is far from to an unsaintly scheme to avenge himself. By a satisfactory. Firstly, when a river originally is cunning device he led Samba to the secret bathing known as Chandrabhaga in Orissa, there is no place of his step mothers who were struck with need to identify it with the Chenab of Punjab. his personal charm and wanted to enjoy his Secondly, the Mitravana, has been identified with company. Slipping quietly Narada led Krishna to the Konark area, and thirdly, sun worship appears this spot. Incensed at his son's apparent lack of to have been very popular as early as sixth/ propriety, Krishna cursed him to be smitten with seventh century AD in Orissa. The Brihat leprosy which would obviously affect his beauty. Samhita, a work of the 5th century A.D. Panic-striken Samba plead his innocence, but as mentioned that the countries of Odra, Kalinga the curse could not be withdrawn, he was advised (ancient names of Orissa) and their people are to practise penance in the Maitreyavana/ under the direct influence of the sun. Both the Mitravana, near the Chandrabhaga river for 12 Prachi Mahatmya and the Kapila Samhita years to propitiate Surya (Sun God), the healer (chapter-III) have identified Tapovana, other of all skin diseases to cure him of his disease. name of Maitreyavana with the present site of Samba acted upon the advice. After 12 years of Konark or Arka Kshetra7. The Kapila Samhita severe penance Samba succeeded in pleasing the further refers to it as Ravi Kshetra. The Sun God and was cured of his illness. In gratitude, Brahmanda Purana and the Oriya he decided then and there to erect a temple in Mahabharata of Sarala Das have relate that honour of the God. Next morning, while Samba Samba propitiated the Sun God at Konark8. was taking bath in the Chandrabhaga he From a general view point if one analyse the discovered an image of Surya standing on a lotus location of Konark which is at present even in an pedestal holding two lotuses in his both hands. isolated location one can arrive at the conclusion He carried the image to his Ashrama (hermitage that Samba's Maitreyavana could be no other than in the Mitravana) and installed it in a temple built the modern Konark in Orissa. A. Chatterjee9, an by him. According to the Bhavishya Purana5 as officer of the Dept. of Archaeology, Govt. of India the local Brahmins did not agree to worship the who had been at Konark for several years (in the image, Samba brought eighteen Maga/ Magha 1950's) on the basis of unearthing of a small brick 8 Orissa Review * April - 2006 temple at the South-Western corner of the present purely an African animal in the sculptures of the temple compound, is of the assumption that it is Sun temple at Konark evidently proves that the the one which possibly was built by Samba. From area had overseas commercial link, even with far the above analysis it seems to be more appropriate off Africa. Its depiction in the temple suggests that and convincing that the place of Samba's penance in those days either people of Kalinga might have could be none other than the present Konark in gone to Africa and saw the giraffe or one giraffe Orissa. Further, although Samba is a Puranic must have been brought to Orissa by some figure on the basis of surviving architectural, merchants enabling many to see it. On the Beki iconographic and stylistic evidences of the (parapet) of the Jagamohana of the Sun temple, Mahagayatri or Mayadevi temple which according the Martanda Bhairavas are also shown as to T.Donaldson,10 'originally dedicated to Surya, dancing on boats. Alberuni,14 in the 11th century and not to his consort' it is evident that the temple A.D. refers to a place named 'Arku-tirtha' (Mayadevi) was erected prior to the Surya Deul southward of Prayag towards the coast. Arku- of Narasimha I. Thomas Donaldson11 further tirtha of Alberuni has been identified with Arka states that it is quite possible that the temple (late Kshetra or Konark, the site of the magnificent 11th or early 12th century) was converted to the sun temple. Konark is also known as ' Bhaskara worship of Devi after the construction of the Surya Tirtha', so Arku-tirtha of Alberuni is no doubt Deul with its Puja-image being replaced by an the Arkakshetra or Konark. image of the goddess or consort of Surya". Various theories have been propounded The Greek sailor, Ptolemy12 (c.2nd regarding the purpose of selecting the site and CAD)in his Geography has referred to it as erection of such a mammoth monument at Konark. Kannagara. From his geography it appears that There is no doubt about the fact that the place like Palur, being situated on the coast of the Bay enjoyed religious sanctity from the earliest times. of Bengal, Konark prospered as a great center According to one observation it was the mother of maritime trade, and had contact with far off of Narasimha Deva who suggested him "for countries of South East Asia. Recent building a very large temple for Sun God at archaeological excavations at Kuruma, a ruined Konark, the only among the important four Buddhist monastery, north-east of Konark (8 km) Kshetras that was still without a big shrine."15 and at Khalkatapatna, an ancient sea-port, 11 km Surya (Sun God) is believed to be the healer of south-east of Konark on the left bank of the river diseases, especially leprosy, and the bestower of Kushabhadra substantially attested to the maritime wishes from very early times; and it is not unlikely importance of Konark.13 It is also apparent that that the temple is a worthy thanks - giving of the in ancient times both the rivers Chandrabhaga and powerful ruler Narasimha Deva following either Kushabhadra were quite navigable and might his recovery or the fulfillment of his prayer, perhaps have served as the link channel with the sea for for a healthy son.