ODISHA TOUR FOR 5 DAYS

PART III

Konark and Satapada (Chilka Lake)

                                                                       Konark

On 25th February morning, I left Puri by road, to visit Konark at a distance of 36 kms only.  It is one the most picturesque route with plenty of Cashew Trees on both sides of the road.   As we approach Konark, the sea also could be seen from the road.  Sad part of it is that, preventing this natural view, resorts have come on temporary basis even before the Chandrabaha Beach, of course, on tender given by Govt of Odisha.   These resort owners, have put up number of small tents on the seashore with a daily rent of Rs.10000/-.  This is completely prevents to have a view from the road, as walls have been raised throughout that length.  It is said that the tender has been given only upto March 2023.  Hopefully, this is not extended, so that people have a normal natural view of the seashore from a distance.

On that day, there had been marathon was going on from Maa Ramachandi temple half way to Konarak, organised by the local people.   The participants have to swim, run and also cycle during this meet.  

First we reach Chandrabagha Beach and there is a new light house coming up here.  We did not alight here and first went to Konark.  From the parking place known Medical Square, about 200 metres the ticket counter is there for konark temple, put up by the Archeological Survey of India.  Entry fee is Rs.40/- per Individual and for foreigners it is Rs.600/-.     Entire 200 metres are flooded with Cashew Sellers, selling at Rs.650/Rs.550/Rs.450/- cashews per Kg classified as GrI/II/III.  Bundles of cashew bags of one/two/five/fifty Kgs are kept and also loose ones measured and given.  People buy in Bulk.

Renovation work is going on in the Konark temple with lot of front end loaders and steel channel structures.   Half of the entrance to the temple was covered with a tin sheet so as not to allow anyone to enter.  Lot of private photographers and guides abound the area.  

The Sun Temple is an enigma surrounded by solved and unsolved mysteries, myths and folklore.

Legend has it that Samba,  on entering the bathing chamber of Krishna's wifes, and was cursed by Krishna with leprosy. It was decreed that he would be relieved of the curse by worshipping the Sun god on the sea coast North East of Puri.  

Konark temple chariot has 7 horses to represent the days and also 24 wheels to represent the Pakshas of 2 per month of 12 months.  There is a story for not worshipping the Ashtadatu Surya made for this temple, which dates back to the King Narasimha dev.  The King ordered the Chief Architect Bisu Maharana, to complete the work in 12 years and there were 1200 workers involved in the work.  For non-completion of work in time, the King threatened them with death.  The workers could not complete the work and yet the crowning stone is to be installed on the penultimate day and from nowhere, the architect's lost son Dharmapada arrived and gave the right solution to overcome the problem.  However he knew that the King would take the life of the workers as inefficient.  Dharmapda very upset with that, took his life, by jumping into the river Chandrabhaga.   Though it saved the 1200 workers life, it was considered unholy due to the death of Dharmapada and thus the ashtadatu Sun God is not getting worshipped so for.

The most popular story for the damages to the Konark temple is the invasion of Kalapahada in 1508.  He had damaged many Hindu temples of Odisha during that period and the damages to the Konark temple too is attributed to him.  It is said though he could not disturb the temple precincts because of the thicker stones used for the structure, he succeeded in displacing the arch stone, Dadhinauti and thus paved way for the collapse of the temple, over the years.

The reasoning behind the closure of the Konark temple is said to be, that by the end of the 19th century, the last pavilion of this temple had also weakened and reached the verge of collapse, and to save it from collapse, the then Governor John Woodburn in the year 1901 sealed the entrance to the temple.   A century after the British had filled the Jagamohan (assembly hall) of the Konark Sun Temple with sand to prevent the structure from collapsing, the Archaeological Survey of India has begun the process of emptying the sand for repairing the vulnerable portion of the structure from further damage and carrying out repair works to bring it to its original state.  

Chandrabhaga Beach

New Lighthouse coming up in Chandrabhaga Beach

MAA RAMCHANDI TEMPLE
On the way back to Puri, stopped at Maa Ramachadi temple.   The River Kusabhadra flows into Bay of Bengal here.  Ramachandi is popularly believed the presiding deity of Konark, and the most benevolent Chandi known. It is certainly more ancient than the Sun Temple at Konark. From the architectural point of view, the temple of Ramachandi is not important but from the religious point of view, it is one of the famous Sakta pithas of Orissa.    It attracts a large number of local devotees to offer sacrifices or ‘Bali’ here as the goddess is considered to be powerful having defeated Kalaphada who was destroying all Hindu temples.

CHILKA LAKE
After having darshan at this temple, returned to Puri and in the evening went to Puri beach and the same has been posted in Part I.   After the night stay at Puri, on 26th February Morning, I went to Satapada from Puri to have the boat ride at Chilka Lake.  The distance between Puri and Satapada is 49 Kms, but takes around 1H and 15 Min.  No shops are available at this place and when ordered a hotel prepares food asking you to go for the boat ride and come to keep the food ready.  The boat ride takes 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours and though it was mentioned everywhere February month, there will be lot of birds, I could not see much.  The Chilka Lake, the brackish water lagoon, is a vast expanse spreading across three districts of Puri, Khorda and Ganjam.  The lake is studded with small islands including the most charming Honeymoon Island and the Breakfast Island. Spreads across 1,100 sq. km, the pear-shaped lake extends from Bhusandpur in Puri district in the North to Rambha-Malud in Ganjam district in the South, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a 60 km long narrow strip of marshy islands and sand flats. It is said to be the largest wintering ground for migratory waterfowl found anywhere on the Indian sub-continent.  

During the boat ride, I could only see some sea gulls and also a few dolphins showing up their back.  But the boat ride was wonderful.

I returned from Chilka lake, late evening to Puri and once again went to the Puri Beach and took rest for the night at Puri and on 27th February Morning returned to Bhubaneshwar after visiting Gaurivihar at Puri.  The Bhubaneshwar tour portion is in Part II.