Konark Temple –The Mysterious Time Keeper On The Eastern Coast

By Meera

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It was more than a century ago that the workings of the sun dials, that is the stone chariot wheels of Konark Temple was discovered. It is said some yogis and sadhus were seen calculating and deciphering the sun dial but they would not reveal the actual functioning of the complicated structure. One thing which everyone knew was these wheels are sun dials and it can accurately measure time to the minute which our guide clearly did and demonstrated it to us.

But to my disappointment, I miserably failed as one has to clearly see where the shadows are falling and at which point. Wonders of wonder, the eight wider spokes in the wheel do the job of a natural clock when it castes its shadow at a specific spot and so the time is calculated easily. These spokes are supposed to signify the “prahar” that is the three prahars [three hour time period] of the day. In fact, our guide Das went on and on and gave different explanations and also said the sun dial was basically similar to the Dharmachakra of Buddhists detailing about life and laws.

Now how does this clock work? The wheel which has 8 wider spokes divides 24 hours in a day into 8 equal parts. This means that the time between two spokes is three hours. In fact, there are 8 more spokes but very slim and thin to make it easier for it to function as a sun dial. Now each slim spoke divides the time period by half which means the time between a wide and slim spoke is one hour and thirty minutes or 90 minutes.

 Between a wide and slim spoke, there are 30 beads carved and so each bead denotes a measurement of three minutes. And when the shadow falls either in the centre or the edge of the bead, the time is perfectly calculated till the minute. Imagine the wheel even reveals whether it is day or night. Denoting time from sunrise to sunset, the top Central point represents 12 midnight while the bottom central point 12 noon.

All these years, we have been used to studying time clockwise and not anti-clockwise but the sun dials at Konark work anti-clockwise. Remember, one has to study the shadow when it falls on the bead to measure the exact time be it early morning or midnight. One can go on and on about how to read time on the Konark stone wheels but I feel it is better for people to go there and see it in person – the complicated ancient time machine of Konark.

It is time scientists made further studies of the exquisitely beaded and carved sun dials of Konark. Not much is known or has been deciphered as the wheel comprises intricately carved figurines maybe, depicting summer or winter as also beads at the edge of the wheel depicting other aspects pertaining to our lives. Now what is the function of these carvings that has taken years and years to carve, is till date, a mystery? It seems the wheel on the western side of the temple denotes time after sun set – therefore, it is high time, a study was made to decipher what the ancient people knew and what they were trying to say.

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