~~ By VCSL Treasurer, Rameshbhai P Bharkhada and his wife, Jyotiben R Bharkhada.
( Part 3 of 3 – June 2009)

Nandankanan (zoo)

Kedargouri, Sideswar and Mukteswar Temples are all three located in one place and are on the way to Nandankanan. As we were running out of time and it was getting very hot, we decided to skip the temples and go for the wild white tigers.

Nandankanan Zoo lies in the splendid environs of the Chandaka forest, along the rippling waters of the Kanjia Lake. It also contains a Botanical Garden and part of it has been declared a sanctuary. The zoo covers an area of 3.62 Sq.Km while Nandankanan Sanctuary (Zoo together with Kanjia lake and Botanical Garden) occupies an area of 4.37 Sq.Km.

The prime attraction in this zoo is the white tigers and wow!!! They were handsome. We couldn’t believe how big these cats were, until you see them in real life. These cats are hot favourite with families with children. This was an excellent opportunity to see these regal animals in their natural glory - in an environment conducive to their growth.

The zoo enjoys an excellent reputation internationally, for successfully breeding of black panthers, garial crocodiles and white tigers in captivity.

We also went on ropeway cable car connecting the Zoo with Botanical Garden over the lake, the view from the cable car was breath taking. We saw lots of other animals and some rare birds, including a black swan. The photographs below give some indication to the extent of the site.

Konark – The Sun Temple

I have read so much about Konark and it has been my dream to see this place. When we entered the site through main gate I thought I was in a dreamland, the beauty of landscape captivated my imagination. If I describe everything what we saw, it would take pages so I will let the photographs tell story. There are number books worth reading before visiting the Sun Temple to understand the history behind the ruins. And also a local guide is advisable to tell the tales of The Sun Temple.

Konark Sun Temple is selected by the UNESCO as a world heritage site. There are very few Sun temples in India and Konark holds a special place in all respects. This temple is dedicated to Sun God traversing to the sky on a 24-wheeled chariot drawn by seven horses. Twelve wheels on each side and the seven horses represent the symbols of 12 months of a year and 7 days of a week, respectively. If you stands in front of wheels and follow the shadow of wheel hub it would tell the time of the day. The sculptures inscribed in wheels on each side of the chariot representing day and night activities

Thousands of erotic sculptures are inscribe on the walls, pillars and wheels of temple similar to famous Khajuraho. These sculptures were a purely a religious form of art without any intention of sexual provocation. The girls in the arms of their lovers depicted on the many sculptures which decorate the walls and the wheels of the Great Sun Temple all seem more or less identical. This reveals weariness of the artists who were forced to produce as many sculptures as possible without any creativity.

Stalls near the road to the main entrance sell souvenirs and imitations of temple artefacts. Behind the main entrance two stone lions trample a stone elephant. A stair leads to the natamandap, a dancing hall without a roof. On the walls there are fine sculptures, like a woman washing her hair, a girl with a mirror, female musicians and dancers. The main temple is behind the dancing hall. The building consists of the jagamohan and the deul. The deul has collapsed so it is hard to imagine the enormous size of the building in former times. One can climb on the collapsed deul to get a good look at the statues of the sun god Surya. These three statues catch the light of the rising sun, the sun at noon and the setting sun. On the left side and the right side of the jagamohan group statues of horses and elephants trample a human being.

Although this site is protected by world heritage, the fund granted is not best used. Restoration carried on site is shameful. There are no shortages of skilled craftsmen in this part of India but still the damage walls are replaced with plain stone. One wonders why Indian Government is not taking any interest in preserving this site.