The story of Puri is in line with that of the Jagannatha Temple, which was invaded 18 times. The first invasion occurred by Rastrakuta king Govinda-III (798-814 AD) in the 8th century AD, and the last one took place in 1881 AD by the monotheistic followers of Alekh (Mahima Dharma) who did not recognize the Jagannatha cult. From 1205 AD there were many invasions of the city and its temple by Muslims of Afghan and Mughal descent, known as Yavanas or foreigners.
In most of these invasions, priests and temple servants brought idols to safe places. The destruction of the temple was avoided by the resistance or timely surrender of the kings of the region. However, the treasures of the temple were plundered repeatedly which involved invasion of the triad.
Located at a distance of 34 km from the holy city of Puri, Konark derives its name from ‘Konarka’, the deity that presides over the famous Temple of the Sun located here. A must-see on each tourist’s Eastern India itinerary, Konark boasts of a series of magnificent excursions.
Touring the city is an utmost experience with places to visit like the Konark Sun temple. One cannot miss the Konark dance festival which attributes of this ancient city is its cultural bond that is maintained. Several excursions around the city that also must be visited on your short trip in the land of the lord involve places like Kuruma, Kakatpur and Chaurasi, naming a few.
Kuruma, an interesting excursion to Konark, is a very small village that extends about 8 km from the city and is very famous for its Buddhist architectural heritage. Kakatapur is a popular pilgrimage destination of Odisha (Orissa) that houses a series of sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess Mangala and Ranadurga. The sanctuaries of Amareswara, Laxmi Narayana and Barahi, located in Chaurasi, are also popular pilgrimage destinations.
One can easily spend a day or 2 mesmerized in the beauty of this place while they enjoy their stay at a decent hotel with good food and other facilities adding to your stay. The entire trip will cost you around INR 30,000 for two people to find peace amongst their busy schedule.
