India is loaded up with sun sanctuaries or sunlight-based sanctuaries. As indicated by antiquated writing and sacred texts, the Hindus allude to the Sun as the storage facility of limitless energy. In our country, the Sun god is alluded to as Aditya or Surya.
People primarily use sun temples as structures and monuments for spiritual and religious activities dedicated to the Sun God. Devotees also perform sacrifices to the Sun God within these temples.
Apart from India, people have built sun temples in Japan, China (including a luxury resort in Lansdowne), Egypt, Peru, and other countries. India also preserves many remnants of such temples. Archaeologists have later uncovered some of them, and people have constructed new temples at those sites.
Artists commonly depict the Sun God riding a chariot drawn by seven horses, representing the seven colors of the rainbow. People built the earliest known sun temples in caves, where they painted images of the Sun on the walls.
The most renowned Sun sanctuary on the planet is Konark in Orissa, which is likewise a world legacy site. Islamic invasions destroyed some of these ancient temples, but their remnants continue to amaze the world, revealing many hidden secrets every day. Look at these stunning Surya sanctuaries in India.
Rundown Of Sun Temples In India With History:
1. The Bhramanya Dev Temple At Unao:
This temple stands at a place called Unao in Madhya Pradesh. Devotees from all over India visit it, and the surrounding areas also attract many tourists. This very much visited sanctuary is notable for the recuperations individuals got from her. Some visitors have cured themselves of visual impairment, skin diseases, and other ailments. The temple’s main feature is the deity, placed on a stone platform and covered with black slabs. The symbol features 21 triangles, representing the 21 cycles of the Sun.
2. Sun Temple At Surya Prahar:
People built this Sun Temple at Surya Prahar in Assam, on a hill, making it a popular religious site for the locals. The temple’s main attraction is a circular stone tablet that depicts various images of the Sun God. According to ancient Sanskrit texts, twelve different Adityas, or Sun Gods, exist. The temple stands near the banks of the Brahmaputra River and ranks among the most famous Sun God temples in East India
3. Suryanar Temple Near Kumbakonam:
The Suryanaar sanctuary is situated close to Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. This famous sanctuary shows the great Surya god. The sanctuary instructs the guests about the diverse heavenly bodies in the universe. The sanctuary was developed in Dravidian style and is quite possibly the most delightful and very much built love puts in India. The icon of Suryanarayana is in a standing position and has his two spouses – Usha and Chaya remaining on either side.
4. Suryanarayana Swamy Temple In Arasavalli:
People built this Sun Temple at Arasavilli in Andhra Pradesh during the seventh century under a Kalinga ruler. The temple maintains the Sun God in a well-preserved state. Inside the sanctuary, there is a picture on a tall dark stone holding lotus buds which is the genuine picture of love for the Sun god worshipers. As per legend, Sage Kashyap introduced the icon of Surya Narayana in this sanctuary. Each Sunday is a significant day in Arasavilli Surya Devalayam and numerous fans come to look for endowments.
5. The Dakshinaarka Temple At Gaya:
In Gaya, Bihar there is an acclaimed Surya Bhagavan sanctuary in India which is known by the name of The Dakshinaarka sanctuary. Sanctuary, admirers make their contributions to their predecessors at the Dakshina Maanas tank which is arranged before the sanctuary. In this sanctuary, you will locate various old pictures of the Sun god which you will discover no place else. The sanctuary is likewise of high chronicled importance as it was developed during the thirteenth century under the oversight of a lord who was a dedicated admirer of the Sun god. This sanctuary is likewise one of the most established and most visited strict locales in Bihar.
6. Surya Mandir Konark (Sun Temple Orissa):
The Sun sanctuary situated in Konark, Orissa is known as Konark Sun Temple. Konark Surya Mandir was developed during the thirteenth century. Individuals stay with this sanctuary from everywhere the globe to notice the sublime design of the Konark Sun Temple.
Local people also call it the Black Pagoda Temple. According to Konark Temple history, Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty built the current structure. It is one of the few Indian temples whose design and architectural plans, written in Sanskrit, have survived to this day. Architects designed the entire temple to resemble a 100-foot chariot, entirely carved from sandstone
The temple now lies in ruins, and UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1984. People also download images of the Konark Temple more than any other Indian temple in the world.
7. Sun Temple At Modhera:
People built this Sun Temple in Modhera, Gujarat, in 1026. Architects designed it so that sunlight would enter the temple precisely and fall directly on the image of Surya. The temple now lies abandoned and stands as a protected monument maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.This sanctuary has three fundamental zones The Gudhamandapa, the Sabhamandapa, and the Kunda. Modhera sun sanctuary is one of the noticeable Surya mandirs in India. Modhera sun sanctuary pictures are mainstream with craftsmen and photographic artists.
