Located on the coast of Bay of Bengal, Konark is a small township in Odissa’s Puri district. It is most known for the famous Sun Temple. An architectural masterpiece, the Sun Temple was built in the 13th century, and is designed as a colossal chariot for the Sun God. The name of the city is itself derived from Kona (corner) and Arka (Sun).
Apart from the Sun Temple, tourists also love to visit the exotic Chandrabhaga Beach, located just three kilometres away from the temple. Konark is coloured with the mythological stories of which one is related to Shamba, the son of Lord Krishna and another is related to a beautiful maiden Chandrabhaga, who was the daughter of a sage. Other tourist attraction in Konarka are, The Ramachandi Temple devoted to goddess Ramachandi, also known for its beautiful surroundings, Kuruma, an excavation site for history lovers, Astranga, the fishing village near Konark and Archaeological Site Museum, which contains a number of archaeological artifacts.
The city is also known for its fair and carnivals. The famous Konark Dance Festival demonstrates various Indian classical dance forms like Kuchipudi, Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Odissi. The Magha Saptami Mela is another fete, where hundreds and thousands of devotees come to take a dip on the Chandrabhaga river, the water of which is believed to be a cure for all kinds of ailments.