Dedicated to Surya or the Sun God and designed like his chariot, the massive and magnificent Sun Temple at Konark (kona meaning angle and ark referring to the sun) is one of the finest examples of ancient Indian architectural heritage. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the breathtakingly splendid temple was once described by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore as the place where the language of stone surpasses the language of man. Situated around 30 km from Puri, the temple, seemingly rising from the depths of the sea, is just 2 km away from the Bay of Bengal coastline. Built in the 13th century by Ganga king Narasimhadeva I, the temple with stunning sculptural details, marks the most evolved period in the Kalinga architecture. It is said that the temple was designed in such a way that the rising sun's first rays would illuminate the deul (sanctuary) and the presiding deity. The temple stands on a base of a total of 24 intricately carved wheels, 12 on each side. Four of the 24 wheels can be used as sundials to tell the time!