Write a letter to a friend describing your visit to a historical place: Konark Sun Temple, Odisha

 

The historical Konark Sun Temple is a 13^th century architectural wonder built by the King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. It is a UNISCO World Heritage site and maintained by Archeological Survey of India. A trip to the place is a fascinating experience in itself. And to be able to share it with a friend is another delight. This is a simple letter to a friend describing your visit to a historical place: Konark Sun Temple, Odisha. The letter can be modified according to need and preference.

 

To

ABC

C/0 XYZ

Address of ABC

    

Dear ABC,

 

                        I hope this letter finds you in the best of health. Your letter is always a wealth of information about the travels and trips that your job takes you to.  For a change this time around, it is my turn to enlighten you about my trip to the historical Konark Sun Temple.

Key facts about Konark Sun Temple:

Established                  : 1258
State                            : Odisha
District                        : Puri
Site Area                     : 10.62 ha
Nearest city                 : Puri
Nearest Railway          : Puri Railway Station (30 km approx)
Nearest airport            : Bhubaneshwar Airport (65 km approx)
Best time to visit         : September to March

                        During our tour to Odisha in November, I and Hari decided to visit the famous Konark Sun Temple on 14th.  We were staying at Hotel Seascape in Puri and the Sun Temple at Konark was at a distance of roughly 37 km. We hired a private taxi and it took us about an hour to reach our destination.

                                    We started our journey early from the hotel at 5 o’clock and travelling by the beautiful Marine Drive, we reached the holy site by 6 am. It is said that the sight of the first ray of the morning passing through the first temple and falling on the deity on the second temple is simply mesmerizing and we hoped to get a glance of the moment. By the time, we bought our tickets and entered the temple premises, it was already sunrise and we missed the grand visual. Still, the view of the magnificent structure which was shaped like a chariot with large wheels and horses carved out of stone was breathtaking.

                                    The Konark Sun temple is a 13^th century architectural wonder built by the King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.  The timing of the creation of the ancient temple was a mystery for many years till an old palm manuscript was discovered in the 1960s which described in detail the meticulous 12 years (1246-1258) of planning and construction of the temple. The Konark temple was declared a UNISCO World Heritage site in the year 1984. It is an immensely popular monument which attracts a large number of tourists every year.

                                    We avoided the local guides who were present at the ticket collecting center. Instead, we explored the recently built state-of-the-art Konark Interpretation Center. The interpretation center is a treasure trove of knowledge on the temple’s rich history and cultural heritage of Odisha. It provided us with a lot of information to navigate through the place on our own.

                                   We spent the whole day exploring the ancient temple, spellbound and mesmerized. The Sun Temple Complex has two main buildings: dance pavilion (natyamandapa) and assembly hall (jagamandapa). To the left of the temple complex, there is a separate dining hall (bhogamandapa). The audience hall and the shrine form the chariot with the wheels and horses on the either side of the platform. The wheel acts like a sundial and it can tell time with pinpoint accuracy.

                                     An additional attraction of the place is the sound and light show which is performed every evening. It depicts a vivid and brilliant picture of the cultural and religious significance of the temple. We bought tickets for the 6:30 pm show. I must confess it is one of the best shows I have ever experienced in my life. The dive into the majestic history of the place thoroughly entertained as well as intrigued us.   

                                     After spending a beautiful day in the Temple, it was time to leave for Puri. Soaking all the memories of the place, we rode back to the town in our taxi.  I could not keep myself from looking back and having one last glance at the magnificent monument. I will always cherish the memories of the place. I hope to catch up with you soon.

 

                                                                                                Yours Lovingly,

 

                                                                                                 Your Name

                                                                                                Your Address

Date:

Place:

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