Sun Temples of India

Surya or the Sun has played an important role in our lives as a sustainer of life. The almighty Sun is all-powerful and a part of the Solar System as well as a life force on earth.

There can be no life on earth without the Sun. At the center of the Solar System, it controls the planets giving them light and energy. He is also regarded in astrology as the Lord and Prana/soul of human life. All energy on earth is because of him hence he is also regarded as the father of the Solar System.

The Sun as God has been worshipped since time immemorial in India as well in many other countries across the world. He is regarded as the all-powerful, radiant, and the one with inexhaustible power. Every Hindu makes it a point to worship the Sun as a daily ritual. The day becomes incomplete without his worship and yet few temples exist which are dedicated solely to him.

These handfuls are worth a visit for their glorious past and present. These include the well known Konark Sun temple in Orissa, the Sun temple at Modhera, Gujarat; Surya Mandir at Ranakpur close to the massive Jain Ranakpur temple, Suryanaar Kovil in Tamilnadu, Dakshinaarka temple at Gaya, Suryanarayana temple at Arasavilli, Surya Pahar temple in Assam, Bhramanya dev temple at Unao. While the Sun temple at Martand, Kashmir is the northmost temple in India.

Sun worship is as ancient as the Sun. You will find references to Sun worship in the Puranas, Ramayana, and the Mahabharta. Varahmirhira, astrologer, and astronomer has explained the intricate ceremony involved while installing the icon of the Sun. Iran is said to have once been the center of Sun worship and their Magha priests traveled to India for ceremonies related to the Sun.

Many temples have smaller shrines for the Sun God while others also bear the name Surya. These temples have many beliefs and legends associated with the Sun and its worship. A common belief that is shared by the worshippers is that after a visit to the temple one has to take a dip in the sacred kund/tank located close to the temple as it is said to bring relief from various diseases.

Konark Sun temple, Orissa

Konark means corner Sun. This is the most famous Sun temple in India and it dates back to the 13th century. This is the peak of Orissa architecture. This temple is located 20 miles from Puri. This temple is marked with a black pagoda and is magnificent. It displays the Sun chariot is drawn by seven horses each representing the seven days of the week. It has 24 wheels and has beautifully carved hours of the day.

It was the Ganga ruler Narasimha Deva, who envisioned this temple.?The main idol in this temple was the Sun God and it is said that the Sun’s rays fell on it in the morning and the Portuguese removed it. The temple no longer has a deity but the temple stands tall and strong with a nata mandir and sabha mandap but the main temple has collapsed many years ago.

Dakshinaarka temple, Gaya, Bihar

This is a very ancient temple in Gaya. Offerings are made at the Surya Kund also known as Dakshina Maanas tank located in front of the temple. Sun worship was common and popular in the Magadha kingdom. You will find many images of the Sun in and around Gaya. The legend says that they may have been descendants of fire-worshippers from Central Asia. This temple has a granite image of the Sun called Aditya and is called Dakshinaarka. He is portrayed here as wearing boots, a waist girdle, and a jacket in Iranian style. This temple has a lot of visitors on Sunday.

The sun worship here is mentioned in the Puranas while the current structure is dated around the 13th century when King Prataparudra, ruler of Warangal located in Andhra Pradesh rebuilt this temple.

?It faces the east and is close to Vishnupada temple where the footprint of Lord Vishnu is enshrined.?East of the temple is Surya Kund. The temple is plain and very simple in design and has a dome over it. The front of the temple is a large sabha mandapa with massive pillars which has stone sculptures of Durga, Surya, Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva. There are two Sun temples; one is the Uttaraka temple in Gaya located at Uttara Maanas tank and the other Gayaditya temple on the Falgu River.

Bhramanya Dev Temple, Unao, Madhya Pradesh

This temple named Brahmanya Dev /Baramju is a Sun temple. The legend associated with this temple is those who visit will find cure for skin diseases, blindness, and leprosy. The image of the Sun-god stands on a platform that is covered with black plates. The 21 triangles represent the 21 phases of the Sun, which are engraved on the shrine. A brass cover protects the image and Sunday is a special day for worship here. This temple found patronage of the ruler of Datia and the Peshwas.

Sun Temple at Surya Pahar, Assam

This modern temple is built on Surya Pahar (hill) at Goalpara. It enshrines a stone tablet with 12 images of Aditya in a circle with the image of Kashyapa, father of Aditya in the center. Surya is said to be the son of Aditi and Kashyapa. Each image has one face and two arms. The Kalika Purana mentions the Surya Pahar, which is a mine of archaeological remains. At the foot of the mountain, a massive collection of Siva lingams is made of stone and contains rock-cut figures which are artistically excellent.

Suryanar Kovile temple, Kumbhakonam, Tamilnadu???????

This is an ancient temple and is surrounded by other temples. It is a well-known shrine that has shrines of Surya, Kasi Vishwanath, Visalakshi, Chandran, Angarakan, Budhan, Brihaspati, Sukran, Saniswaran, Rahu, and ketu. There is a protocol you need t to follow if you wish to worship in this temple. You start with the worship of Ganesha and circumambulate the temple nine times.

This temple is built in the Dravidian style and is over 800 years old. The Chola kings patronized it. It is close to Kanjanur and Tirumangalakkudi, which has over 1200-year-old temples dedicated to Shiva. This temple has become very famous.

Suryanarayanaswamy temple, Arasavilli, Andhra Pradesh

This temple is very well preserved and was built in the 7th and was built by a Kalinga king. The image within is 5ft tall and in black granite. It holds lotus buds and showcases his two wives Usha and Chhaya. Another name for Sun god is Padmapani, which stands for wisdom while Usha and Chhaya stand for eternity. ?The temple is located close to Ernakulum, Andhra Pradesh.

Sun Temple, Modhera, Gujarat

This temple was built 1026 AD and it was so designed that the first rays of the Sun fell on the image of the Sun-god on each of the equinoxes. There is no image within anymore but the structure is still very grand and magnificent. The Shikhara is missing but the toranas are splendor. The sun temple reflects the Magha influence, the images on the temple walls are in the peculiar style of western belt, etc. there is also a huge tank in the front of the temple with lots of images.

Martand Sun Temple, Anantnag, Kashmir

This temple was built in the 8th century and is dedicated to the Sun god. Martand is a Sanskrit word for Surya. This temple is now in ruins but is located five miles from Anantnag. The temple is said to have been destroyed on the orders of Sultan Sikandar Butshikan. This temple was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida, the third ruler of the Karkota Dynasty. It is said to have been built between years 725 CE and 756CE, although the foundation has been there from 370 CE to 500CE and is dedicated to having been constructed by Ranaditya.

Built on a plateau it gives a grand view of the valley of Kashmir. It is an excellent example of Kashmiri architecture blended along with styles, which are Greek, Syrian-Byzantine, Roman, Chinese, Gupta, and Gandharan.

The temple has the main shrine in the center, with a colonnaded courtyard all around. It also has 84 other shrines. It is 220ft long and 142feet broad and encloses an original smaller shrine that was built previously. It had a shikhara that was that pyramidal and has carvings of various gods and goddesses in the antechamber which includes Vishnu, Ganga, Saraswati, and Surya.

Other places where there is a Sun temple

-Ranakpur close to the Jain temple

-Kumbhalgarh fort