The entrance to Konark Temple is guarded by two giant lions, which are each shown crushing a war elephant which in turn lies on top of a human body. At the entrance of the temple is a Nata Mandir. This is where the temple dancers used to perform dances in homage to the Sun god. The temple symbolizes the majestic stride of the Sun god.   Konark Sun Temple in Orissa belongs to the Kalinga school of Indian temples and was constructed by King Narasimhadeva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty in the 13th Century. This world heritage site temple takes the form of a colossal chariot of Surya (Sun) drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquitely decorated wheels. Surya has been a popular deity in India since the Vedic perios. Thousands of sculptured images depict deities, celestial and human musicians, dancers, lovers, and myriad scenes of courtly life, ranging from hunts and military battles to the pleasures of courtly relaxation. The temple is famous for its erotic stone sculptures, which can be found primarily on the second level of the porch structure.
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