Konarak in the state of Orissa is the site of the largest temple to the sun god in India. It was built around the 13th century C.E. The main building represents the sun god’s chariot, which in mythol-ogy was pulled across the sky each day by fiery-maned horses. The chariot has 24 massive wheels. Pulling the chariot are seven carved horses. The Temple to the sun god, with the god’s chariot, in Konarak, Orissa (Constance A. Jones) temple was decorated with erotic sculpture resem-bling that at KHAJURAHO. Its tower appears to have fallen but is said to have been 200 feet high.
Further reading: A. Boner, S. R. Sarma, and R. P. Das, New Light on the Sun Temple of Konarka: Four Unpub-lished Manuscripts Relating to the Construction History and Ritual of the Temple (Varanasi: Chowkhambha San-skrit Series Office, 1972).
Encyclopedia of Hinduism. A. Jones and James D. Ryan. 2007.