Konarak: the sun temple of Orissa

India, 1958

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A 13th century temple to the Sun God on the coast of Orissa State. Pilgrims pray on the seashore at sunrise and then travel inland to make the ritual circumnambulations of the temple before entering the inner sanctum. The temple is designed as a great chariot for the Sun God, and its carvings and statues embody a wealth of religious symbolism. Various figures represent the phases of the solar cycle and the heavenly beings.

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Collection

In ACMI's collection

Credits

director

P.S. Das Gupta

producer

Hari S. Das Gupta

production company

Documentary Films of India

Duration

00:21:07:00

Production places

India

Production dates

1958

Collection metadata

ACMI Identifier

013250

Language

English

Subject categories

Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → India - Description and travel

Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → India - Religion

Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → India - Social life and customs

Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Pilgrims and pilgrimages

Crafts & Visual Arts → Architecture - India

Crafts & Visual Arts → Symbolism

Crafts & Visual Arts → Temples

Documentary

Documentary → Documentary films - India

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → India - Religion

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Pilgrims and pilgrimages

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Spirituality

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Symbolism

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Temples

Educational & Instructional

Educational & Instructional → Educational films

Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Spirituality

History → Historic buildings

History → History

History → Pilgrims and pilgrimages

History → Temples

Mathematics, Science & Technology → Symbolism

Short films

Short films → Short films - India

Sound/audio

Sound

Colour

Black and White

Holdings

16mm film; Limited Access Print (Section 2)

16mm film; Access Print (Section 1)

16mm film; Preservation Print (Section 5)

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If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/75698--konarak-the-sun-temple-of-orissa/ |title=Konarak: the sun temple of Orissa |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=15 May 2025 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}