KONARK
The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is located in Puri district in the state of Orissa , India , on the Bay of Bengal , sixty-five kilometers from Bhubaneswar and 35 km from Puri. Being close the sea, the climate of Konark is never very harsh. With greenery surrounding the place, rainfall is heavy in Konark. Myths and legends are an integral part of most of the Indian temples and the Sun Temple of Konark is no exception to it. Crowned as the Black Pagoda, this 13th-century temple is said to be related to Lord Krishna. Legends say that Samba, the son of Lord Krishna, was afflicted by leprosy, brought about by his father's curse on him. After 12 years of penance, he was cured by Surya, the Sun God, in whose honor he built this temple. However, history relates that Konark was actually built by Narsinhadeva I of Ganga dynasty in the 13th century AD on his victory over the Mughals. The temple fell into disuse in the early 17th century after it was desecrated