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Konarak: Architecture in the Context of Religious Policy of the Eastern Gangas
Jelínková, Silvie ; Strnad, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Ondračka, Lubomír (referee)
The great temple of Konarak in Orissa, built in the shape of the chariot of the sun god Surya, is one of the most famous hindu monuments in India. Even in the state of ruin it has always attracted attention of scholars, especially art historians. This thesis aims to present the Sun temple in a broader context of the time and place of its builder, and tries to propose the roots of its construction and causes of its collapse - both intrinsically connected with the religio-political climate of Orissa during the reign of the Eastern Gangas. The thesis is divided into four chapters. The first chapter deals with the royal temple policy, pursued by Orissan kings, and shows "the royal temple" as the means of legitimation of royal power. The second chapter addresses "tutelary deities" of king Narasimha, builder of the temple. These are Surya of Konarak, the sun god, who was the deity of all-Indian significance, and Jagannatha of Puri, the form of Vishnu, who is the state deity of Orissa. The third chapter focuses on Konarak in comparison with Puri as the places of pilgrimage. The fourth and last chapter presents a brief overview of the architectural traditions of India, specifically of Orissan architecture, of which the Konarak temple is the crowning example, attention is then turned to the exceptionality...
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