Submitted By:-

Ananya Chaturvedi
Class: - X D
Roll no.:- 08
Submitted to :-
Mrs. Anuradha Sharma
The Sun Temple, popularly known across the globe as Black
Pagoda was built at Konark by King Langula Narasingha
Dev of the Ganga dynasty nearly 800 years back.

If literature on the history of Konark temple is to be believed,
about 1,200 stone craftsmen and artists were engaged in the
construction of the temple over a period of 16 years.

The king had dedicated the temple to the Sun God.

According to some historians, the present Sun Temple at
Konark is not the actual Sun Temple.

The original Sun Temple was a 240 feet high structure and
had collapsed long back.

The present 130 feet high structure is a part of the original
temple, the temple's Jagamohan (front audience hall) to be
precise.

Significantly, the demand for construction of the new Sun
Temple at Konark has come at a time when there is a hue
and cry, both within Orissa and outside, over the safety of
the monument following reported falling of stones from the
temple structure.
The exact cause of the destruction of the original temple is
not yet known.

Cracks also developed are some parts of the temple.


Over a hundred years ago, faced with the threat of the
edifice caving in, experts stuffed the Jagamohan's
walls with sand to conserve it.

Now, with cracks and damage to the temple apparent
even to the naked eye, global archaeology circles are
witnessing a raging debate on whether or not to extract
the sand.

If the sand is permitted to remain inside the 130 feet-
high Jagamohan, experts fear the structure will suffer
irrevocable loss.

If it is not, it could disintegrate.

Caught in this maze of ifs and buts - and with decay
spreading each passing day - archaeologists,
conservationists, engineers, scientists, historians,
government officials and other stakeholders are
desperately seeking enlightenment.

According to experts, more than a century later, huge
quantities of sand have started causing cracks on the
Khondalite structure from inside.


A couple of months back, a worried Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI), which is in charge of protection
and preservation of the internationally acclaimed monument,
had convened a two-day conclave of top experts and
archaeologists from within the country and outside to chalk
out a plan to save the important monument from complete
destruction.

The brainstorming meeting which was held at Konark is
understood to have prepared a blue print for the protection of
the monument.

However, it is widely believed that for the protection of the
temple, there is an urgent need to remove the sand presently
stuffed on the interior of the 130 feet high structure.

The organization has suggested that the state
government should chalk out a Rs 1,000 crore plan
to build the new Sun Temple and approach the
Central government to share the cost.

Both the State and the Central governments
should contribute Rs 500 crore each for the
construction of the new temple which should be
completed within the next ten years.

Re-construction going on in Konark