Question

In which of the following states is the famous Sun Temple situated?
1. Punjab
2. Tamil Nadu
3. Andhra Pradesh
4. Odisha

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Odisha

​The correct answer is Odisha.

• The famous Sun Temple is situated in Odisha.
• Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE, at Konark about 35 kilometers (22 mi) northeast from Puri and 65 kilometers (40 mi) southeast of Bhubaneswar on the Bay of Bengal coastline in the Indian state of Odisha, India.
• Sun Temple was built in 1250 CE during the reign of the Eastern Ganga King Narsimhadeva-1 from stone in the form of a giant ornamented chariot dedicated to the Sun god, Surya and, conceived as a giant stone chariot with 12 wheels. In Hindu Vedic iconography Surya is represented as rising in the east and traveling rapidly across the sky in a chariot drawn by seven horses.
• This temple is dedicated to the sun god, Surya, the first rays of the sun fall on the entrance of the temple. Much of the temple has fallen into rack and ruin but what remains still holds enough charm to captivate.
• It is the most famous of the few sun temples built in India. The temple in its present state was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 1984 CE.

• The temple follows the Kalinga or Orissa style of architecture, which is a subset of the nagara style of Hindu temple architecture.
• Three kinds of stone were used in the temple's construction - chlorite, laterite, and Khondalite. Khondalite (though of poor quality) was used throughout the monument while chlorite was restricted to doorframes and to a few sculptures, while laterite was used in the foundation, the (invisible) core of the platform, and in the staircases.
• Today, this site is not only popular with tourists and pilgrims but also serves as a venue for cultural festivals, classical Indian dance performances, etc. Thus, even today the Sun Temple continues to play its role in preserving and furthering India's immense cultural heritage.