Lord Surya ( The Sun God )

Lord Surya ( The Sun God )

Konark Temple,Eastern Ganga Dynasty,13th Century CE, National Museum, New Delhi

      Imported by the Kushan Kings in the 1st Century CE, from Iran, Lord Surya is a late entry in the Hindu pantheon. As Hinduism developed, He was fused with Lord Vishnu and came to be called Suryanarayan. 

       His western ancestry is reflected in His attire : usually He wears a squarish crown. He is the only god who is depicted with boots. He is shown either standing or squatting.  His chariot is said to be pulled by seven  "green" horses. 

       Amongst the nine planets in Hindu astronomy,  He is considered to be the most powerful.  Praying to Him is supposed to bring good health and great wealth. Even according to science tells us that vitamin D is essential for the body.

        With the rise of scientific temper, with industrial revolution, we had forgotten the importance of the Sun. But with concept of solar energy gaining ground, again Sun has become important. The wisdom of the ancients is dawning on the moderns. 

Maharaja Narsimha on a Swing in His Harem

Maharaja Narsimha on a Swing in His Harem

Eastern Ganga Dynasty, 13th Century AD,Konark, Odisha

             Maharaja Narsimha was a great builder of temples. The temple at Konark in Odisha was built by him. The existence of sculptures depicting him in his daily activities are unique. For they not only give us an insight into the royal life, but also tell us about the Indian view of life. Here we see him sitting in a swing with his Ranis.  Swings inside the houses are still popular as in Gujarat. Therefore, one can imagine such swings in the royal harem as well. 

            Many have wondered why such "domestic" or even "erotic " scenes are depicted in Indian temples? The reason is simple: to depict one of the four stages ( 'Ashrams' ) of life, Grahasth (householder ) ashram. 

            Such sculptures also had a political message: all is well in the Kingdom as the Royal family is happy. This is similar to the Royal family of England coming out on the balcony  of the Buckingham Palace to wave the the cheering subjects.

Musician

Musician

Konark Temple, Eastern Ganga Dynasty,13th Century AD

             The roof of the Sun Temple at Konark is decorated with lady musicians. Here is a woman playing the cymbals. The sun rays spread over the sky like music wafting through the air. The sunrise and music are intermixed in our mind and  soul. For, both represent life, energy and creativity. Hence, the presence of musicians and dancers in Konark.

         The Konark sculptures are easy to recognise with their large almond like eyes, with their beautiful upturned smiles and their ornaments, especially the two large earrings in the ears. The grace, the style, the jewellery is also reflected in Odissi dance. To see an Odissi dance is to see these Konark figures come alive.

A Lady Musician

A Lady Musician

Konark Temple,Eastern Ganga Dynasty,13th Century AD

            Part of the Kalinga or Eastern school of architecture,  Konark temple is one of the finest temples of ancient India. Built in the form of a moving chariot, with seven horses and twelve giant wheels, the temples shows the imaginative leap of the architects.  The fact that the  main tower collapsed, however, points to the technical flaw in the design of the temple.  But nonetheless it is a mesmerising piece of architecture.  

          The temple is dedicated to Lord Surya, the Sun god. The lady musician you see here are sculptures placed on the roof of the temple.  The heavenly musicians play the music as the sun chariot is pulled by the seven horses. 

          The Konark sculpture is easy to recognise as the women have a tied their hair in a tight bun, and have two large earrings in their ears. The eyes are almond like, and there is a subtle smile on their face. Even today Konark and Cuttack produce beautifully alive sculptures.