Bhishma Panchak Vrat Katha

          The last 5 days of the month of Karttika are traditionally known as the Bhishma Panchaka or the Vishnu Panchaka. Grandfather Bhishma fasted for these five days, preparing to give up his life. In the Hari BhaktiVilasa, it is said that if one is capable, one should observe fasting from certain foodstuffs on the Bhishma Panchaka for the pleasure of the Lord. This is optional. "The fast should begin by remembering Bhismadeva on the Ekadasi day and should end on Poornima (the full moon).

          After the victory of the Pandavas in Mahabharata war, Shri Krishna took the Pandavas to Bhishma and requested him to teach them wisdom of immortal nature. That time Bhshma was lying on sara-sayya and waiting for the days of the solstice sun were to occur. At the request of the Shri Krishna the great warrior Bhsishma provided the wisdom of Raja Dharma, Varna Dharma and Moksha Dharama to Krishna as well as Pandavas. This continued from Ekdashi (11th day) to Poornima (full moon day) for 5 days. After the knowledge sharing session was over, Krishna acknowledged Bhishma saying "These five days would be auspicious and lucky from today. These five days of fasting in the future will be called Bhishma Quintet. This fast would be very auspicious. Those who will observe this and keep the vow they will get the best journey after death. It will free you from the former accumulated sins and salvation by works. Thus Bhishma Panchak Vrat was started by Lord Krishna.

           If someone observes this fast, he is considered to have observed all other fasts, because it is greatly meritorious and frees one from great sins. Therefore, everyone should make a great endeavor to fast on these last five days of Bhismadeva. The strictest way of doing this fast is to take only the five products of the cow (pancha gavya) on each of the five days or fast by restricting the eating like during ekadasis: no grains and beans. only fruits and roots.

Various Levels of fasting:

Type-1
One can eat products of the cow for each day:

• First day: Cow dung (Gomaya)
• Second day: Cow urine (Go-mutra)
• Third day: Cow milk (Kshiira)
• Fourth day: Cow yoghurt (Dahi)
• Fifth day: All products of the cow mixed (Pancha-gavya)

Type-2
If one can't follow type-1, then please take take fruits and roots fruits with lots of seeds should be avoided like guava, pomegranate,cucumber etc. Boiled potatoes, raw banana and sweet potato can be taken. We can use sea salt for taste. Cashewnuts(PLAIN) raisins, dates can be taken. Milk products to be avoided.

Type-3
If one can't follow level 2, one can take "Havishya."

Ingredients for Havishya as mentioned in Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa (13.10-13)
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The following are ingredients that can be used in making Havishya, which is
like a khichari made with these items.

Aatap rice
Unadulterated Ghee from cow
Saindhava salt (sea salt)
Milk from cow
Milk with cream
Ripe Banana
Kaala-Shaaka
Wheat
Fruits (Skanda Puraana, Naagara Khanda says they must be with a small seed
or with few seeds only)
Mango
Jackfruit
Labali fruit
Roots except kesa grass root
Pippalii
Haritakii
Naagaranga
Ikshu-dravya or sugarcane derivatives (other than gur or mollasses)
No oil in any form

The following ingredients though part of Havishya need to be avoided in the month of Kartika:

Mung dal
Til oil
Beta-shaaka
Shashtikaa-shaaka
Radish
Jeeraa
Tamarind

Why Celebrate Deepawali?

WHY CELEBRATE DEEPAWALI?

     Deepawali means “row of lamps.” It is beautiful to behold artistically lit lamps with different patterns in temples, courtyards of homes and pillars of large massive historical shrines. This bright, charming festival creates warmth during the winter season.

     However, the ambiance is changing with the massive development of alternate kinds of lighting equipment. Not only are the Deepawali lamps being blurred in comparison but people’s understanding of Deepawali has also become clouded. Instead of an auspicious Deepawali (shubha Deepawali), it has simply reduced to a Happy Diwali.

     Deepawali is the festival of harmony, integration, joy, and spiritual awakening; a wholesome festival in nature. Spiritually, it is a reminder of Sri Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of absence upon being cast to the forest by his stepmother, Kaikeyi. Sri Rama was eager to return and meet all the residents of Ayodhya. In fact, when Vibhishana had requested Sri Rama to stay and attend the coronation ceremony of his ascending the throne of Lanka, Sri Rama declined softly, saying, “If I stay even for an extra moment, my brother Bharata will end his life. Moreover, my dear Vibhishana, however great the wealth of Lanka is, but my Janani, Ayodhya is beckoning me to come as early as possible. My Ayodhya is far superior to heaven.”

     Sri Rama then sent Hanumana with the message of his arrival to Ayodhya and to observe whether this will bring happiness to Bharata. Had Bharata showed any apathy, Sri Rama would not have come home to Ayodhya. He would allow Bharata to rule Ayodhya, while he himself continues to stay in the forest. However, Bharata, who was more than eager to receive Sri Rama, started preparing for his arrival. The subjects were enthused to spontaneously prepare for Sri Rama’s arrival along with Sita, Laxmana and the entire host of banara sena(army of monkeys). To prove their eagerness, they started lighting lamps all over Ayodhya.

     They decorated the city with rows of lamps on high towers and on pillars. They further placed lamps on top of tall bamboo sticks. The residents did not realize the beauty and harmony the lit lamps were creating. But as Sri Rama and his entourage looked down from their Pushpak Vimana (the special airplane of Kubera), they were fascinated to see the beautifully lit city from their higher altitude. The magnificent sight below signaled, “Here I am, Ayodhya! Oh, my dear Sri Rama, Sita and Laxmana, I am eagerly waiting for this moment. Incomparable to any other city, I am lit up with lamps and decorations; see me from above. I am fully ready to host you forever in my bosom.”

     Deepawali is a reminder of that joyous festival; it is supposed to remind us that we are all the inhabitants of that land, which is suffering from separation of Sri Rama for so many years. He is coming now, let us prepare for his arrival— what a mood! This is real Deepawali.

     The lamps also denote the act of removing darkness from the heart, which is nothing but ignorance. Let us honor Deepawali as celebrated by the residents of Ayodhya and welcome Sri Rama in our heart, which has continually banished him from our core. Now, light it up with proper understanding and devotion so that he can see from above, “the bird's eye view”, and land his plane directly in our heart.

Jai Sri Rama!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kublai Khan, the Conquerer

          Genghis Khan's grandson was called Kublai Khan. When he became the leader of Mongols he moved from the windswept steppes of Central Asia to rule the most splendid court in the world, in China. At this time, China was the most sophisticated, technologically advanced country in the world. Kublai Khan's armies overthrew the ruling Song dynasty in China. By 1279 he controlled most of the country. He founded he Yuan dynasty in China which lasted till 1368. Yuan means "origin of universe".

          Kublai was taught the art of warfare from a young age and, while still a boy, became a skilled fighter, hunter and horseman. He was exposed to Chinese culture and philosophy, for which he developed an affinity that would stay with him and inform many of his decisions later in life. When his brother Möngke became the Great Khan in 1251 after death of Guyuk, he placed Kublai in charge of northern China while he set out to conquer their enemies to the south. In addition to the learning and customs of the population under his control, Kublai appointed Chinese advisers. He also helped his brother expand the empire with successful military campaigns of his own.

          In 1259, while locked in battle with the Song in southern China, Kublai received word that Möngke had been killed in battle. Soon after he learned that his younger brother Ariq Böke had consolidated power at the Mongolian capital of Karakorum and called a meeting of royal families who named him Great Khan. With his own designs on the throne, Kublai forged a truce with the Song and returned home, where he disputed his brother’s claim and had himself named Great Khan in 1260. It lead to raise of civil war between the two. Eventually Kublai became victorious in 1264. Ariq Böke surrendered in Shangdu (also known as Xanadu) to Kublai, who spared his life.

          Kublai Khan was a fair ruler and a brilliant general. He strengthened his empire by building long roads to far territories. He organised charity for the sick and food supply during famine. He tried to invade Japan twice, without success. For his respect for Chinese culture, Kublai Khan moved the capital of the empire from Karakorum to Dadu, modern-day Beijing, and ruled through an administrative structure more in keeping with local tradition. His rule was distinguished by its improvements in infrastructure, religious tolerance, use of paper money as the primary means of exchange and trade expansion with the West.

          By 1279,Kublai Khan had definitively conquered the Song and he became the first Mongol to rule the whole of China. In celebration of his newly expanded empire, Kublai Khan declared a new Yuan Dynasty, of which he was the first and most successful ruler.

          After his death in 1294, the might mongol empire started t decline and by the end of mid 1300's it had already broken up. In 1369, Timur made himself the ruler of Samarkhand in central asia. He set out to recreate mongol empire. and conquered Persia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and part of Russia. In 1397, he invaded India and died on the way to China in 1405.

Life In the Ice Age

          During long periods of the Earth's history, large areas of land have been covered by ice. As temperature fell, sheets of ice upto 200m thick spread across land and sea. The last of these ice ages had a dramatic effect on human and animal life.

          The earliest ice age occurred some 2300 million years ago. Geological evidence shows that succeeding ice ages lasted between 20 and 50 million years. As the climate cooled, glaciers formed at the North and South poles. The ice advanced and retreated in waves, known as glaciations. The most recent ice age entered its coldest period about 22000 years ago, when ice sheets covered much of North America and northern Eurasia. As the seas froze, the sea level fell by over 100 m in places, exposing bridges of land between land masses. The Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska for example became dry land, allowing animals such as mammoths and deer to move between Asia and North America. After them came human hunters, the first humans to colonize North America. Camels and horses moved from the Americas into Asia. When the climate warmed, the ice melted, sea level rose, and this and other land bridges disappeared.

          Conditions were extremely harsh for the people lived near the ice sheets. Woolly mammoths were a valuable source of meat, skin for clothes and bones for weapons and carvings. Men hunted in groups, driving the mammoths up against cliff-faces so they could close in for the kill. They attacked with sharp weapons and spears made of flint and wood, and large stones. One mammoth provided enough meat to survive many months. Leftovers were stored in holes dug in the frozen ground. Bones and tusks made a framework for huts, covered with hides and turf.

          The last ice age reaches its coldest point around 18000 years ago. The Bering Strait floods over again as the ice melts and sea levels rise. Around 12000 years ago in Europe, glaciers retreat and the ice age ends. 

Offerings Process at Jagannatha Temple

          The offering of food and connected worship rituals are the most important part of the worship in the Jagannatha Temple. The cost of the Bhoga Mandapa offerings is not paid by the Government of Temple Administration, but it is covered by the various Mathas, that supply rice, wheat, dal, ghee, molasses, sugar, suji, black pepper, gram, mung dal, milk, curd, spices, turmeric, cumin, salt, hing, chickpea flour, vegetable oil, coconuts, vegetables and firewood for the cooking. After the offerings, the food is sold to the general public in Ananda Bazar by the Mathas. According to the demand, the Bhoga Mandapa offering is done two or three times a day. The ingredients are kept in the store on the back of the kitchen. The cooks are required to eat their meal before going to the temple kitchen for their service, so that “they will not hunger after the food” they are preparing. Besides, they must keep a cloth tied over their mouth, to avoid any contamination of the food. It is said that if the food is polluted in any way, the clay pots will break before the food is offered.

Mahaprasadam

          During the dressing of the Deities in the morning, the first Bhoga offering is placed within the Garbha griha, in three rectangles drawn with colored powders. A small portion of Bhoga is placed in a metal plate and put on the Ratnavedi with the other upachara articles (water, flowers, lamp, etc), while the rest is kept on the ground in clay pots. The preparation of the day food offering is also very complex. Ten mahamudras, the mula mantra and astra mantra (svaha) are used. The priest looks at the food with mudras and places a protection on it with the astra mantra. The mula mantra (yam) symbolizing Vayu is used to blow away impurities, then water is sprinkled, then again Vayu dries it. With the right hand the Agni mantra (ram) is used to burn the matter to ashes, and the Varuna mantra (vam) is used to recreate it as nectar. At this point the priest offers padya and achamaniya to the Deity and honors the food with an offering of sandalwood paste, rice and flower, chanting the mantra “sri krishnaya sangopangaya sarvatmane bhagavate idam naivedyam svaha”. Then he calls down the tejas from the mouth of the Deity, touches the food with his hand and chants the mula mantra eight times. Holding flowers in his hand, he asks the Deity to take the food. Then he offers some drops of water saying amrtapastaranamasi and performs the five grasa mudras offering five morsels of food to strengthen the five Pranas (pranaya svaha, apanaya svaha, vyanaya svaha, udannaya svaha, samanaya svaha). Then he chants the mula mantra on japa for 54 or 108 times. Then he offers the drinking water, then the nectar (some drops from another container of water, transformed by the mantra amrtapidhanamasi). He then offers achamana, dries the face of the Lord with a towel, then offers tambula (rolled betel leaf). The food offering is thus completed.

          The doors to the Ratna vedi are opened, the arati is offered with seven flames of burning camphor in a metal plate, then flowers and vandanam (offering homage) are offered. The arati is performed to the accompaniment of music in the Nata Mandapa. To complete the worship, the priest meditates on the Deity as pure consciousness and withdraws the divine tejas into his own heart. He first takes the offered flowers in his hand, puts them to the right nostril of the vigraha so that the tejas will descend into them, and then raises the flowers to his own left nostril and “inspires” the divine tejas back into his own heart. The samarpani mudra closes the completion of the ritual.

          The food offered to Jagannatha is sent to the shrine of Vimala Devi for a short puja, after which it is considered mahaprasada. Finally, the priest takes some of the offered flowers on his body and accepts the remnants of the offerings (lamp, flowers, sandalwood paste, etc) and some mahaprasadam. The mahaprasadam is traditionally distributed to the Sevakas and the devotees in the temple and consumed immediately. An important part of the worship consists in asking forgiveness for any mistakes committed in the process.

Mahaprasadam for sale

The Incas

          From the mountains of Peru, the god-emperor of the Incas ruled a highly organized empire. Civil war and Spanish invasion finally caused the empire to fall. The Incas took over from the Chimu as rulers of the Andes mountains of South America. Their civilization reached its peak during 1400s under the ruler Pachacuti, who defeated an invading army from neighboring state. Pachacuti reformed the way the kingdom was run. He appointed a central administration to control the building of towns and ensure that farms and workshops were run efficiently. From the capital, Cuzco, he and his successors expanded the Inca empire to to include parts of Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Inca Banner

          The Incas built stone cities and fine roads, which were used by traders. Goods were  exchanged for goods of equal value. They did not use money. Farmers terraced the mountain slopes to grow corn, cotton and potatoes. Though they had neither writing nor wheeled vehicles, the Incas had many skills including music, bridge-building and medicine. The Incas communicated over long distances by sending fast runners with messages in the form of quipos (knotted cards). A message could be sent mote than 200 KM in a day along a system of paved roads. Masks of gods were worn by priests for ceremonies and were often richly decorated.

Inca God

          The Inca army was the most powerful in the area at that time, because they could turn an ordinary villager or farmer into a soldier, ready for battle. This is because every male Inca had to take part in war at least once so as to be prepared for warfare again when needed. The Incas had no iron or steel, and their weapons were not much better than those of their enemies. They went into battle with the beating of drums and the blowing of trumpets. The armor used by the Incas included:

• Helmets made of wood, copper, bronze, cane, or animal skin; some were adorned with feathers
• Round or square shields made from wood or hide
• Cloth tunics padded with cotton and small wooden planks to protect the spine.

The Inca weaponry included:

• Bronze or bone-tipped spears
• Two-handed wooden swords with serrated edges
• Clubs with stone and spiked metal heads
• Woolen slings and stones
• Stone or copper headed battle-axes
• Bolas (stones fastened to lengths of cord)

          In 1525, the Inca empire was at it peak. But in 1527, after emperor Huayna Capac died, the empire was split between his two sons Atahualpa and Huascar and civil war broke out. In the 1530s, a Spanish expedition led by Francisco Pizarro arrived seeking gold. The Europeans were impressed by Cuzco's palaces, temples and water supply. They were also surprised by the fortress of Sacsahuaman, which was built from huge stones that fitted together perfectly without mortar. Though they were few in numbers, the Spaniards had horses and guns, which were both new to Incas. In 1532, Pizarro captured the Inca ruler Atahualpa and demanded for a ransom a room full of gold and two rooms full of silver. The ransom was paid, but Atahualpa was killed anyway. The leaderless Inca armies were swiftly defeated, although resistance to Spanish rule continued from scattered mountain forts such as Machu and Pichhu, until 1572.

Machu Pichhu

Life and Death in Egypt

          The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. They buried dead people in tombs filled with items filled for use in the afterlife. These tombs, with their paintings and treasures tell us much about these remarkable people. When a body was mummified, the dead person's liver, lungs, stomach and intestines were removed, wrapped and stored in containers called canopic jars. The head shaped lids represented protective gods. Egyptians believed that for a person's soul to prosper in next world, the body has to be preserved. That's why they made mummies. Dead bodies were embalmed and dried, then wrapped in linen strips and placed in coffins.

Canopic Jars

          The finest tombs were those of the kings. Some were buried in pyramids, but later rulers were laid to rest in rock tombs, in the valley of kings. Most of the tombs were ransacked by robbers, but one survived largely intact. It was discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter. The tomb belonged to the boy-king Tutankhamun and inside were priceless treasures of a vanished world. Tutankhamun's gold death mask covered the face of the death king. His body was wrapped in linen inside a nest of three coffins, encased in a stone sarcophagus and protected by four wooden shrines.

King Tut

          The Egyptian empire is at the height of its power during the reign of king Tuthmosis 3. Other famous rulers of Egypt were Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, Ramesses 2. Alexander, the great takes control of Egypt in 332 BC and founds Alexandria. Rule by the Ptolemies ends after Cleopatra kills herself in 30 BC. Egypt then becomes a province of Roman empire.

Tomb Paintings

          Egypt's greatness lasted for over 2500 years. The Egyptians were skilled in maths and astronomy and created a calendar of 365 days. They have a system of picture writing called hieroglyphics. Each picture or hieroglyph, stood for an idea or sound. Hieroglyphs were written on walls as well as on sheets of papyrus. People trained to write them were called scribes. They built pyramids and temples bigger than any structure seen before. They also traded overseas in large ships. Even people who conquered Egypt later, such as Romans stood in awe of the Egyptian achievements. 

Ming China

          In the 1300s, the Mongol grip on China weakened. A revolt drove out the last Yuan emperor. In 1368, a Buddhist monk calling himself Ming Hong Wu became China's new ruler. The Ming dynasty ruled China for 300 years. Under Ming Hong Wu, Chinese self-confidence and national pride returned. Being an able and efficient ruler, he established peace and prosperity. He reformed Chinese society by slavery, confiscating large estates and redistributing them among poor and demanding higher taxes from the rich. China began to reassert its power over neighbors and its strong army was able to fight with foreign attacks.

Hong Wu

          After the dynasty's founder, the Hung Wu emperor, the Ming dynasty's most famous ruler was the emperor Cheng Zu (Yung-lo)  known as "The Consolidator," who ruled from 1403 to 1424. He  undertook to incorporate  South and Southeast Asia into China's tribute system. This tribute system was based on the overlord-vassal relationship between the ruler of China and the rulers of other countries expressed by the traditional cultural view that saw China as the largest and oldest state in the world.

          Chinese soldiers defended their empire against foreigners such as Japanese warlords, who tried to invade Korea in 1590s, but later withdrew.  They used Crossbow. An arrow fired from a powerful Chinese artillery Crossbow could travel up to 200m and pierce a wooden shield. They also developed a number of indigenous weapons including gun powder rockets and bombs. At sea, Chinese ships (largest in the world during that period) made a series of voyages during 1400s as far as Africa and Arabia. The fleets were commanded by admiral Zheng He. Zheng He is described in Chinese historical records as tall and heavy, with clear-cut features and long ear lobes; a stride like a tiger's and voice clear and vibrant. He was well liked and admired for his quick wit in argument. He was famous as a brave soldier

          Ming period was one of the great creativity. Ming emperors supported arts and built many fine palaces. From 1421 they lived within the forbidden city of Beijing, a huge complex of palaces, temples and parks. Foreigners and most Chinese were not allowed inside the city. Only the emperor's family, the officials and servants of the royal household were permitted. The third emperor Yung Lo made Beijing his capital in 1421. The emperor lived their secluded from both foreigners and his own people.

          China's first contacts with European traders began in the 1500s, when Portugeese ships arrived. By 1557, the Portugeese had set up a trading settlement in Macao. Western traders were eager to buy porcelain, silk and tea. Tea was a new drink for Europeans. It first reached Europe in 1610. The Chinese had seldom looked far beyond their borders and after the mid fifteenth century, the government banned voyages overseas. Ming rulers regarded China as center of the world. Their rule weakened in the early sixteenth century and ended in 1644.

The Franks

          The Franks were the strongest of all the Western European people who struggled for land and power after the end of the Roman empire in 476. Under their first great leader, Clovis, the Franks spread out from their homeland around the river Rhine (in what is now in Germany). They fought their neighbors such as the Visigoths and Burgundians until by 540, they had conquered most of the old Roman province of Gaul (modern France which is named after Franks). Clovis defeated rival chieftains to bring all the Frankish tribe under his control. His family became known as the Merovingian dynasty, after his grandfather Merovich. 

Clovis

          Frankish leaders were always ready to defend their lands and conquer new one. Their eagerness to to ride into battle meant they needed servants for military service. In return, the servants were granted land. This was the beginning of feudalism. Leading families jockeyed for the king's favor. In 600s two rival clans Austrasians fought Neustrians. The Austrasians ousted their counterpart and their chief, Pepin of Herstal, founded a new ruling family. Pepin's son Charles Martel, also known as Hammer won an historic battle at Poitiers against Muslim invaders in 732. This defeat checked the advance of Islam into central Europe. Martel's son, Pepin the short established the new Carolingian dynasty.  He was the first Frankish king appointed by Pope in 754. But the greatest of the Frankish rulers was Pepin's son, Charlemagne.

Charles Martel

          The Franks were farmers. They tilled their fields in strips using wheeled ploughs pulled by oxen. Tough Frankish warriors rode into battle with shaven heads and topknots, wearing light armor. Their skill with the axe, the common Germanic spear and shield, and above all their bravery made the many warriors of the Franks some of the most powerful of their time. They were formidable  cavalry fighters, whose loyalty was rewarded with booty. Frankish army defeated the Romans, Gouls and Visigoths who tried to halt their expansion.

Frankish Fighters

The Rise of Islam

          The new faith preached by the prophet Muhammed in 600s changed the course of History. Muhammed's followers spread their religion, Islam, by preaching and conquest. By the 700s, Muslims (follower of Islam) ruled most of the Middle East and North Africa. Before Muhammed, the Arab people were not united in any way. Different groups worshipped different gods. Muhammed was a merchant of Mecca, in Arabia. At the age of 40, he began to preach of belief on one God, after a dream in which an angel told him he was the prophet of Allah (God). The new religion became Islam, which means "submission to the will of Allah".

          Muhammed had to leave Mecca when some townspeople objected to his new teaching. His journey in 622 to Yathrib (now Medina) is commemorated still as the Hegira, which begins the Muslim calendar. In Medina, Muhammed and his followers built the first mosque. His teachings and revelations were written down in Koran, the holy book of Islam. In 630, Muhammed's followers captured Mecca and Islam became the new religion of Arabia. When Muhammed died in 632, his father-in-law, Abu Bakr, was chosen as first caliph. Muslims believe Muhammed ascended to heaven from the rock to speak with God, before returning to earth and spread Islam. A group called the Shiites thought only the descendants of Muhammed's daughter Fatima could lead Islam. Others, known as Sunnis, thought any Muslim could do so. This split continues today.

          By 644 the Arabs had conquered most of Syria, Palestine and Persia. After 661, the Ummayad, family controlled the growing empire from the capital, Damascus, in Syria. Islam's advance into Europe was halted by the Frankish army of Charles Martel in 732. In 762, the new Abbasid dynasty moved the empire's capital to Baghdad. This city became the center of of the Islamic world. Harun al-rashid, was caliph from 786. The power of the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs peaked during his reign.

Causes of Kalinga War

          The Kalinga war was a milestone in the splendid career of Emperor Ashoka. It took place in 261 B.C. eight years after the coronation of Ashoka. A detailed account of this war is known from Rock Edict XIII found at Shahbazgarh in Pakistan. Kalinga was under the suzerainty of Magadha till
Dhana Nanda. It probably slipped away from the fold of Magadha when Kautilya and Chandragupta Maurya revolted against the Nandas around 322-321 B.C. Neither Chandragupta Maurya nor Bindusara never fought with the people of Kalinga. So, it was a historic necessity on the part of Ashoka to conquer Kalinga. The Kalinga war had far reaching results which made lasting impact on mankind. There was huge loss of man and material in the Kalinga war. In this war 150,000 soldiers from the side of Kalinga were taken as prisoners by Ashoka and 100,000 were slain and many others died of injuries and epidemic after the war. Equal number of mauryan soldiers were killed. With the victory of Ashoka in the Kalinga war, Kalinga was annexed to Magadhan empire and it constituted its fifth province.There are several causes of the Kalinga war, which changed the mind of Ashoka.

Powerful neighbor : 

The Magadhan Empire during Ashoka had surrounded Kalinga in the north, west and south. Existence of Kalinga as a powerful neighbor on the border of Magadha was definitely a threat to the power and potentiality of the latter. Thus, Kalinga posed a menace to the grand Magadhan empire. Before Kalinga rose to that extent, Ashoka wanted to defeat and capture it.

Economic prosperity of Kalinga :

There were certain economic factors which had created rivalry between Kalinga and Magadha.
Kalinga monopolized the oversea trade in the Indian ocean and gained vast wealth. Her wealth
also increased from inland trade. Through the Mauryas had foreign relation with the contemporary Hellenistic powers, they had not maintained commercial relation with them. It may also be pointed out that the Mauryas by that time had not built up a naval power and the Navadhyaksha (Superintendent of Shipping) mentioned by Kautilya in his Arthasastra was in charge of policing the rivers, lakes and seashores rather than building ships for maritime trades.

Commercial factor :

In trade and commerce, Kalinga was a great competitor of Magadha. Important trade-routes from the Gangetic valley to the Deccan and further south passed through Kalinga facilitating her trade and commerce. Though, Magadha had foreign relation and huge internal resources, it suffered from a commercial crisis due to the lack of trade routes. The existence of flourishing Kalinga with her trade and commerce was adversely affecting the economy of the Mauryan empire.

Imperialistic design of Ashoka :

Asoka's invasion of Kalinga in 261 B.C. appears to have been actuated by his imperialistic designs. By the time of Asoka's accession the Magadhan Empire had spread over most parts of India. From the Himalayas in the north to Mysore in the south and from the Kabul valley in the north-west to Bengal in the east, the whole territory was under the sovereignty of Ashoka. An independent kingdom of Kalinga, not very far from the center of Magadhan empire, was intolerable for a warlike-king like Chandasoka.

Stealing of Ashoka's jewels by the Nagas :

According to the description of Lama Taranath, a Tibetan author, the Nagas stole away the jewels of Ashoka. So, the emperor became angry and conquered their territory. These Nagas were identified with the seafaring people of Kalinga. In order to take revenge, Ashoka invaded Kalinga.

Legend of Karuvaki :

A strange story regarding the cause of Kalinga war prevails among the fisherman community of
the eastern coast of Odisha. According to this, Ashoka invaded Kalinga being infatuated by the beauty of Karuvaki, the daughter of a fisherman and the fiancee of the crown prince of Kalinga.
Though this fact appears absurd, but it cannot be rejected outright because from the Queen's31
Edict, it is known that Ashoka had a queen named Karuvaki who was the mother of Tivara, a son
of Ashoka.

Religious factor :

Religion was another potential factor for Ashoka's invasion of Kalinga. Before Kalinga War, Ashoka was a devout Saiva. Though, it is difficult to ascertain what was the prevalent form of religion in Kalinga, with tolerable degree of certainty, it can be stated that Buddhism and not Brahminism (Saivism) was prevailing in Kalinga. Asoka might have decided to wage a holy war against Kalinga to teach the Buddhists a lesson. Though, nothing concrete is available to the historians regarding this.

Mongols - The Invaders

          The Mongols lived on the plains of Central Asia, from the Ural mountains to the Gobi desert. They were nomads, wandering with their herds and living in portable tents. Their leaders were called khans. In 1206, Temujin Khan brought all the tribes under his rule and was proclaimed Genghis Khan. It means "lord of all". In his lifetime, he seized an empire that extended from the Pacific Ocean to the river Danube incorporating Persian empire. The capital was Karakorum. Genghis Khan was ruthless in battle, but kept peace in his empire and ruled fairly. Trade flourished during his rule. The Mongols continued their attacks after death of Genghis Khan. Mongol army led by Batu Khan, one of the Genghis's sons, invaded Russia. In Europe, people panicked as word spread of the Mongol's speed and ferocity in battle.

Genghis Khan

          Mongols preferred to fight on horseback. Warriors controlled their horses with their feet, leaving their hands free to shoot bows and hurl spears. Mongol cavalry charges usually overwhelmed the enemy. Mongol soldiers traveled with five horses each and were expert with bows and lances. In victory, they were merciless, slaughtering the people of a city and carting away treasures. Western Europe was saved only when the Mongols turned homeward on the death of their leader Ogadai Khan in 1241. Mongol armies sent a shockwave of fear around Asia and Europe, conquering a vast area of land that formed the largest empire in history.

Mongols

          The Mongols roamed in search of fresh grassland for their sheeps, goats and horses. They carried their felt houses with them on ox carts. They drank fresh mares' milk. They also fermented the milk in skin bangs hung from wooden frames to make a strong drink kumiss. At victory celebrations, kumiss was drunk and fiddles strung with horsehair were played.

Mongol Army

Some timeline of Mongol Empire :

1206 : Temujin is chosen to be Khan of the Mongols. He takes the name of Genghis Khan.
1211 : The Mongol army attacks China.
1215 : Beijing, capital of China was taken by Mongols.
1217 : China and Korea are controlled by the Mongols.
1219 : The Mongols went to attack the empire of Khwarezm (Persia and Turkey).
1224 : Mongol armies invade Russia, then Poland and Hungary.
1227 : Genghis Khan dies. In 1229 his son Ogadai was chosen as new Khan.
1237 : Mongol generals Batu and Subotai invade northern Russia. Their army is known as the Golden Horde.
1241 : Ogadai dies. His armies pull back from Europe.

Takshashila - Worlds First and Oldest University

          Takshila (Takshashila in Sanskrit) is the oldest university in the world. Takshashila University was established sometime around the 8th Century B.C. in the Gandhar Mahajanapada. It is located in the Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province in Pakistan. It is said Taksha, an ancient king who ruled a kingdom called Taksha Khanda, the modern Tashkent founded the city of Takshashila. However in Sanskrit Takshashila, appears to contain the suffix shila, stone with the prefix Taksha, referring to Taksha, the son of Bharata and Mandavi, as described in the Ramayana. The city dates back to the Gandhara period and contains the ruins of the Gandharan city of Takshashila which was an important Hindu and Buddhist center, and is still considered a place of religious and historical sanctity in those traditions. In 1980, Takshila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with multiple locations.

          The site initially began to develop as a loosely connected group of buildings where learned persons resided, worked and taught. Over the years, additional buildings were added. Gradually a large campus developed with the donation of rulers and migration of more scholars. There were around 10,500 students. Not only Indians but also students from Babylonia, Greece, Syria, Arabia, Phoenicia and China came to study here. The curriculum consists of 68 elective courses and and the minimum entrance age was 16. Entrance to the university was a difficult process. Two out of three applications gets rejected for admission. Students were supposed to pay for their expenses. However, if a student was unable to pay then he could work for his teacher. There was a special academy for the princes, which had on its rolls 101 scholars. Another center of royal scions was the institute of military science, whose strength was 103 princes and at one time rose to 500. Besides these institutions, there were many other colleges, where instruction in archery, hunting, elephant-lore, political economy, law and other arts, humanities and sciences was imparted to students of high rank and caliber.

           Each teacher formed his own institution, enjoying complete autonomy in work, teaching as many students as he liked and teaching subjects he liked without confirming to any specific centralized syllabus. Study terminated when the teacher was satisfied with the student's level of achievement. The teachers were exempted from the payment of taxes. They were given ample amounts of money on the the occasion of various sacrifices and rituals as well.

           A wide range of subjects were taught by experienced teachers: Vedas, Language, Grammar, Philosophy, Medicine, Surgery, Archery, Politics, Warfare, Astronomy, Astrology, Accounts, Commerce, Futurology, Documentation, Occult, Music, Dance etc. Students from Magadha traveled the vast distances of northern India in order to join the schools and colleges of Takshashila. From Pali texts, it is evidence of the Brahmana youths, Khattriya princes and sons of Setthis from Rajagriha, Kashi, Kosala and other places went to Takshashila for learning the Vedas and eighteen sciences and arts. The panel of teachers included renowned names like Kautilya (the author of the “Arthashastra”), Panini (the codifier of Sanskrit into today’s form), Jivak (medicine specialist) and Vishnu Sharma (author and compiler of the Panchtantra).

          When Alexander’s armies came to the Punjab in the fourth century B.C., Takshashila had already developed a reputation as an important center of learning. Thus on his return, Alexander took many scholars from there with him to Greece. Being near the north-west frontier of India, Takshashila had to face the attacks and invasions from the north and the west. Thus the Persians, Greeks, Parthians, Shakas and Kushanas laid their destructive marks on this institution. However, the final blow came from the Huns  in 450 A.D., who razed the institution. When the Chinese traveler Huen T’sang (A.D. 603-64) visited Takshashila, the town had lost all its former grandeur and international character.

Bhubaneswar, the Temple City

          With the eastern Gangas in power since 11th century, Bhubaneswar became an important religious center filled with many temples in the nagara style. At one time, there were 7000 buildings grouped around BinduSagara, the sacred pool, but today there are only few hundreds. The temples of Bhubaneswar are for the most part built of stand-stone without cement, with plinths and enclosure walls made from laterite clay. They were constructed over 3 periods: the early 7th-10th centuries, of which important examples are Parashurameswar and Vaital Deul temples; the middle period, 10th-12th centuries, of which Mukteswar, Brahmeswar, Lingaraja and the Jagannatha temple at Puri; and the late period, 12th-13th centuries, of which Rajarani and Ananta Basudeva are the principal monuments.

           The 7th century Parashurameswar is one of the oldest temples of all. It is small and stands directly on the ground with no platform.

Parashurameswara Temple

           Vaital Deul, dating from 8th-9th centuries is an example of khakhara deul, a temple covered by a rectangular cupola similar to half a watermelon from which it takes its name khakhara. The nearby Shishireswar temple, also decorated with elegant sculptures, is attributed to the same period.

Vaital Deul

          The jewel in Odisha's architectural crown in Mukteswar Temple, dating from 950-975 AD and standing on  a low platform. It is a typical example of a pancharatna , a temple with five projections. The most characteristic element of this temple is the torana detached from the main building. The torana is presented as an arch built with horizontally as opposed to radially-set stones and decorated with reclining figures on two floral capitals. A nearby pool for ablutions, particularly frequented by women afflicted by sterility. Not far away, Gauri temple is very similar to Mukteswar temple probably from same period famous for its wonderful decoration.

Mukteswar Temple

          Brahmeswar temple was built in 11th century between two enclosing walls on a platform using the panchayatana layout (a central temple with four minor temples at the corners and is reflected in a square pool). It is mainly decorated with mithunas (pairs of lovers) and kanyas (divine girls). The jagamohana has a lotus flower ceiling with nagas at the corners.

Brahmeswara Temple

           Lingaraja temple was built from 1000-1040 AD. It represents the nagara style. Besides the rekha deul and jagamohana it has a natamandira (dance hall) and a bhogamandapa (offerings hall). The 146 feet high shikhara boasts 10 floors and vertically emphasized by the unbroken anghashikhara that overlay the projecting bands. One of the many annexes surrounding the  Lingaraja is the temple of Parvati  from 8th century. It has the same four part structure and refined decoration of Lingaraja. 

Lingaraja Temple

          Rajarani temple was built during the first half of 12th century is famous for the beauty of its statues. It is different from other temples for its unusual shikhara, similar to that of Khajuraho. It has anghashikhara added to the main body of the tower but here they do not overlap as in other temples. The images of the digapalas on the corners jutting out from the walls of the inner sanctum. The entrance is decorated with effigies of nine planets and nagins. There are various sculptures in the walls around the temple and the vimana, depicting scenes of the marriage of Shiva, Nataraja, Parvati, in various roles and moods such as turning her head from an emaciated ascetic, fondling her child, holding a branch of tree, attending to her toilet, looking into a mirror, taking off her anklet, caressing her pet bird and playing a musical instrument.

Rajarani Temple

          Ananta Vasudeba is the only temple in Bhubaneswar dedicated to Lord Vishnu with a ground plan similar to Lingaraja. It was built in 1278 by the princess Chandradevi. A lot other temples are evidence of past splendor of Bhubaneswar projecting the beauty in the details of their architecture, statues and decorations.

Ananta Vasudeva Temple

Battle of Khanwa and its Consequences

           After defeating Mahmud Khalji of Malwa, Rana Sanga (Maharana Sangram Singh, Rana of Mewar), he advanced to Piliya Khar (a small river near Agra). Rana Sanga prepared to expel Babur at any cost, to restrict him to Punjab. Babur accuses Rana Sanga of breach of agreement. He says that Sanga invited him to India and promised to join him against Ibrahim Lodi. But Sanga made no move while he conquered Delhi and Agra. Many Afghans, including Mahmud Lodi, a younger brother of Ibrahim Lodi, rallied to Rana Sanga, in the hope of regaining the throne of Delhi in case Sanga won. Hashan Khan Mewati, the ruler of Mewat also cast in his lot with Sanga. Almost all the Rajput rulers sent contingents to serve under Rana Sanga. The reputation of Sanga demoralized Babur's soldiers. So Babur solemnly declared the war against Sanga to be a jihad. On the eve of battle, he banned the sale and purchase of wine throughout his dominions and abolished custom taxes for Muslims to demonstrate what a staunch Muslim he was.

         Rana Sanga ordered Babur to leave India. Initially he hoped to attain this by sending his man Sardar Silhadi of Raisen as his diplomat. Silhadi who went to Babur’s camp was won over by Babur. Babur accepted that to rule North India he may have to engage in battle with Rana Sanga and hence had no desire for retreat. Babur and Silhadi hatched a plot. Silhadi, who held a large contingent of 30,000 men would join Babur’s camp at critical moment of battle and thus defeat Rana Sanga. Silhadi went back to Chittor, told Rana that war is a must.

          Babur carefully selected a site, and firmly established himself at Khanwa about 40 KMs from Agra. The Rajput forces of Rana Sanga, supplemented by the contingents of Raja Hasan Khan Mewati and the Afghan, Mahmud Lodi and Raja Medini Rai of Alwar, met Babur’s army at Khanwa in 1527. Sanga's forces exceeded 200000 including 10000 Afghans cavalrymen and an equal force fielded by Hasan Khan Mewati. Babur's forces were inferior in number. The battle lasted for not more than 10 hours, was bitterly contested and became an exceedingly brutal affair. Sanga made fierce attack on Babur. However the Mughal artillery took a heavy troll of life and slowly Sanga's force were pushed back. At this juncture, Babur ordered his soldiers in center who had been sheltering behind their tripods to launch an attack. The artillery advanced behind the chained wagons. At Panipat, Babur's flanking parties which attacked from the side and rear as planned earlier. At a critical moment of battle, the defection of Silhadi and his contingent caused a split in the Rajput forces. Rana Sanga while trying to rebuild his front was wounded and fell unconscious from his horse. Rana's forces defeated after a great slaughter and Rana Sanga escaped. Rana Sanga, unwilling to admit defeat, set out once more to rebuild his military and renew war with Babur. He vowed not to set foot in Chittor till Babur was defeated by him. But he was poisoned by his own men who considered such a course to be dangerous and suicidal. With his death, the dream of united Rajasthan extending up to Agra received a serious setback.

          The battle of Khanwa secured Babur's position in the Delhi-Agra region. Babur strengthened his position by conquering further chain of forts in Gwalior, Dholpur etc. He also annexed large parts of Alwar from Mewati. He then led a campaign against Medini Rai of Chanderi in Malwa. Chanderi was captured after the Rajput defenders died fighting to their last blood and their women performed jauhar. But he had to cut short his further campaigns in the area on hearing of the growing activities of the Afghans in the eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Buddhism In Indonesia

          Buddhism is the second oldest religion in Indonesia, after Hinduism. Before the arrival of these two religions, people believed that nature had super-normal power. Trees, stones and many other such things were worshiped as sacred object. Hinduism came to Indonesia at around second century. The first two major kingdoms, Tarumanegara in Western Java and Kutai in Western Borneo were based on Hinduism. Buddhism came to Indonesia a few hundred years after Hinduism with the trading activity in the early part of 1st century between Indonesia and India. On the fertile ground of Southeast Asia, crossing cultural and national boundaries, Mahayana Buddhism evolved into a new kind of polytheism. These Indian missionaries took Buddhism to Indonesia at a time when the religion was declining in India itself and as Indonesians were ready to go beyond the confines of their indigenous belief systems.

          Buddhism reached its peak at the time of the Sriwijaya's dynasty rule, which rose in southern Sumatra in the 7th century and exercised a wide sphere of influence over all of Southeast Asia for more than 400 years. During that time, many Buddhist colleges and monasteries were built. Famous Buddhist scholars like Dharmapala and Sakyakirti were teaching there. Another major Buddhist kingdom was the Mataram kingdom, which was ruled by the Sailendra clan during the eight and ninth century in Central Java. Many Buddhist temples were built and Buddhist texts were inscribed on the stones tablets called prasasti during this time. The world famous Borobudur Temple was one of the most important temples built during this time. In the 10th century Indonesian students were sent to the great Buddhist university of Nalanda in northeastern India. Indonesians even went as far as Tibet for learning and philosophy. Sumatra remained primarily Buddhist, but syn-cretinism eventually appeared on Java, a belief system regarding both Shiva and Buddha as incarnations of the same being.

          Buddhism is an important element in Bali Hindu religious practices. Indian merchants first arrived in Bali in about 200 BCE. It was probably these people who introduced Buddhism as well as Hinduism. In 1275, King Kretanagara underwent a tantric Buddhist initiation to protect his kingdom from an expected invasion by Kublai Khan.

          During the rule of the Majapahit kingdom between 13th to 15th century, Buddhism and Hinduism coexisted peacefully. After the fall of Majapahit in 1515, Islam was introduced to Indonesia by traders from Gujarat, India. The influence of Buddhism started to decrease substantially after that, and was mainly confined to the areas of Eastern Java and Bali. The whole of Balinese spiritual culture has its roots in Indian Hinduism, Buddhism and ancient animist beliefs. Though adherents of Buddhism and Hinduism were enemies in India, in Bali the followers of these two classical pan-Asian religions lived side by side in peace, blending with and borrowing from one another. Archeological, epigraphic and literary evidence prove that Buddhism existed along side Hinduism on the island for about 700 years. 

Brihadeeshwara Temple - First Granite Temple of the world

          Peruvudaiyar Kovil, which is also famous as Brihadeeshwara Temple, Rajarajeswaram and RajaRajeshwara Temple, is located at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the Hindu temple, which  is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built by Rajaraja Chola I in 1010 AD, is also popular by name of ‘Big Temple’. It was finished within 5 years. The inspiration to build the temple came to Rajaraja Chola during his visit to Sri Lanka and is a result of a dream he had. This temple remains as India’s largest and Indian architecture’s one of greatest glories. The original name of the deity was Rajarajeshwar. It was the Marathas who gave it the name Brihadeeshwara or the Great God.

Brihadeeshwara Temple

          It stands in middle of fortified walls added probably in sixteenth century. Entire structure of temple is made of granite, whose nearest source are near Tiruchchirapalli, which is nearly 60 kms from the temple. More than 130,000 tons of granite was used to built it. There is one temple tower, which people call as Vimana. It is 216 feet or 66 meters high. It is also one among tallest tower in whole world in its kind. Kumbam, Chikharam or Kalasha, which is bulbous, or apex structure on top of temple, people believe that it is made out of a single stone carving.

          The temple has sculptures of exceptional quality like the dancing Ganesha, Ardhanari, Dakshinamurthi, Harihara, Adavallan (Nataraja) (on south wall niches), Gangadhara, Lingodhbhava, Vishnu, Subrahmanya, Vishnu-anugrahmurthi (west wall), Kalanthakamurthi, Durga, Brahma, Bairava, Kamantaka (north wall). But the most outstanding sculptures are found in the niches by the side of the northern entrance steps to the sanctum. They are the Chandesanugrahamurti and Saraswati. The bronzes of Bhogasakti and Subrahmanya are masterpieces of Chola metal icons. The Saurapitha (Solar altar), the lotus altar with eight deities is considered auspicious.

Huge Shivalingam

          The inner wall of the garbhagriha or the sanctum has sculpted with 108 dance poses called karmas performed by Lord Shiva himself. The Shiva lingam is called Peruvudaiya, Rasjarajeshwaramudvya. It is a huge lingam, which is set in a two storeyed sanctum. Rajaraja Chola crowned it with 12.5 ft tall finial of 9.25 kilograms of choppers plated with 800 grams of gold. The temple also has a spacious ground, number of pillared halls, shrines and 250 lingams. There is one statue of a sacred bull Nandi at entrance of this temple measuring about thirteen feet height and sixteen feet long. It is result of a single rock carving which weighs around 25 tons.

Nandi

Musical pillars : At the entrance of sanctum, there are two idols of Ganesha in the corridor. On taping the two, you will feel the sound traveling through stone in one idol and through metal on the other.  There are some musical pillars producing different sounds when tapped.

Shadow Disappears at noon : The shadow of the temple, which surprisingly never falls on the ground at noon. It is designed in such a way that the vimana does not cast a shadow at noon during any part of the year.

Vimana

Secret passages : A dedicated secret passage was created to connect different secret places (like the Palace of Rajaraja Chola and also to other important places) in hidden mesh-like structure. It is decorated with distinct features depicting Hindu history of India.  While roaming through secret passages, it is impossible to come back to the starting point, as no one knows the route to reach the inter-places meshed to each other. That is the reason, most of the underground and secret passages are closed for the public and archaeologists.

How Granite Stones were Cut, Carved and Customized : It is said that series of holes were created in the granite block. The holes can be deeper or narrower based on the requirement. Then wooden sticks were filled in those holes, water is poured on the holes. After a long period of time the rocks would break. And in similar manner, customized Granite blocks were cut.

Fall of Konark - The Sun Temple

          In the course of time Konak along with its temples and sacred spots have lost their glories. There is no proper justification of how long it stood with its glory and the causes of its fall. However, many speculations on this. The various speculations made, might be the cause of the fall of this magnificent monument are given below.

Now Visible Remains

From the construction point of view

Weak Foundation :

          It is stated that due to weak foundation of such a heavy structure the temple fell down. But as stated earlier the temple was founded on a deep gorge of a river to make it stronger. And also there is no sign of sinking in any part. So this argument is also not founded on good grounds.

Engineering Defects :

          As per the opinion of some Engineers, as usual with the progress of construction of the temple walls, its outside and inside were being filled with sand. After completion of the temple when the sands were cleared both from inside and outside, due to imbalance of pressure of walls the temple fell down. But many scholars do not agree with this argument, when they find the existence of a throne of the Sun god inside the temple. They also do not accept that such a procedure was followed in constructing the Sun temple. Besides there are historical documents that the Sun god was being worshiped in the newly constructed temple for a considerable period.

Flying Lion :

          Recently some scholars have advanced the opinion that there was a big image of a Lion which is called Flying lion on the upper part of the Sun temple just above the porch. Now the said image is found lying in the broken condition on the ground in three places. Due to placement of such a heavy block of stone on the temple walls, it imbalance the wall and the wall collapsed.

Load Stone :

          It is described that there was a load stone on the top of the Sun temple and due to its magnetic effects it was drawing vessels passing through the Konark sea resulting in heavy damage. In others view due to the magnetic effects of the load stone placed on the top of the Sun temple the compass fitted in the ships to show the direction, was being disturbed and was not functioning properly and it was a troubling task in the part of the captains to drive their vessels in right direction. So to make the shipping save, the Muslim voyagers took away the load stone from the Sun temple. This load stone on the temple was working as the central stone keeping all the stones of the temple wall in a balance. Due to its displacement the temple walls lost their balance and fell down in course of time. But such a statement has no record in history nor has got any proof about the existence of such a powerful load stone on the temple top.

From the Historical Point of View 

Incomplete Temple :

          Some historian justify that due to early death of the king Langula Narasimha Dev, the builder of the Konark temple, the construction of the temple had been left haphazardly. As a result of this the incomplete structure collapsed in course of time. But this view stands without any basic data. It is rather established from the records of Madala Panji of Puri Jagannath temple as well as from some copper plates that the 1278 A.D. and the king Langula Narasimha Dev reigned till 1282. Many historian are of the opinion that the construction of the Konark temple was completed between 1253 and 1260 A.D.

Hasty Completion Of The Temple :

          It is learnt from the Dharmapad story that the king Narasimha Dev had ordered the sculptors to complete the temple about a fortnight earlier than the scheduled time and also had threatened them if they fail to complete the temple within the stipulated time, all the sculptors will be heavily punished to death. As the chief architect Sri Sibei Samantaray expressed his inability, the king engaged another person to speed up the work in place of Sri Samantaray. Though the newly appointed architect  completed the work in the stipulated time, he failed in placing the Kalas (the crowning stone ) of the temple. Finally the Kalasa was set up by a boy of 12 years, Dharmapada, son of Vishu Moharana. It is evident, as a result of this impracticable order of the king many things had gone wrong. This resulted in weakening the placement of the crowning stone, which could not be placed properly according to the basic plan of the temple. As a result the temple walls collapsed being imbalanced within a very short period.

Mukhasala

From Natural Calamities 

Earth Quake :

          Some scholars says that due to earthquake the temple fell down. But there is no proof in support of occurring such an earthquake in this area. There is also no sign of suppression of the foundation of the temple at any direction. And such an occurrence could have been remembered by the people as they have remembered the story of Dharmapada, Ramachandi and Bishu Maharana. Nowhere there exists such a devastating statement.

Thunderstruck :

          The arguments that the temple was affected due to Thunderstruck is also not acceptable. Since the temple walls are of 20 to 25 feet in thickness it is not at all possible on the part of any  thunderstruck to disturb it in any manner.

From Folktales 

In-sanctity :

          It is stated by some that , due to suicide of Dharmapada on the temple just after placing its crowning stone, the temple lost its sanctity and considered as an unfortunate element and was thus rejected. But it is recorded in the Madala Panji and many historians are of opinion that Sun god had been established in the temple and was being worshiped regularly for years together. So this argument is also not acceptable.

Curse Of Sumanyu :

          The great poet of Odisha Sri Radhanath Ray in his Kavya 'Chandrabhaga' has narrated a story about the cause of the fall of temple. According to that Kavya, Sumanyu Risi cursed the Sun god for his ill-behavior towards his daughter Chandrabhaga, who committed suicide. Hence the temple of the Sun god fell down. But this is an imaginary story.

Original Temple Plan - Artistic View

And the Most Popular Cause 

Kalapahada :

          According to the history of Odisha, Kalapahada invaded Odisha in 1568. He had destroyed a number of Hindu temples in Odisha including the Konark. It is described in the Madala Panji Kalapahada attacked Odisha in 1568 and it was an evil hour for Odisha. Though it was impossible to break the Sun temple of Konark, the stone walls of which are of 20 to 25 feet thick he somehow managed to displace the Dadhinauti (Arch stone) and thus made a way for the temple to collapse. He also broke most of the images and other side temples of Konark. Due to displacement of the Dadhinauti, the temple gradually collapsed and the roof of the Mukhasala also got damage due to the stroke of the stones falling down from the temple top. At the time of measurement by the King Narasimha Dev, the Sun temple was in existence up to its Amalak sila, i.e. about 200 feet in height. Kalapahad had only destroyed its Kalas, the crowning stone and the Padma-dhwaja, the lotus finial and the upper portions. Due to removal of this crowning stone the temple lost its balance and gradually started to fall down. The stroke of heavy stone pieces caused considerable damage to the porch.

For the Construction of Puri Jagannath Temple :
       
          There was a big block of stone called Navagraha Paata placed in front of the Mukhasala. The then king of Khurda removed the said block to down and took away many sculptured stones from Konark and constructed some portions of Puri temple with them. During Maratha time, the outer compound wall of the Puri temple was constructed with the stone of Konark temple. It is reported that among all the temples the Nata Mandir (the Dancing hall of Konark) was broken intentionally considering it as an unnecessary structure during the time of Maratha administration. In 1779, a Maratha Sadhu had taken away the Arun Pillar from Konark and put it in front of the Lion's Gate of Puri Jagannath temple. By the end of 18th century Konark lost all its glories and had been turned to a dense forest. In course of time, the temple area thus became devoid of people being covered with dense forest, full with sands and filled with terrible animals and homed by pirates. It is said that even the local people feared to go to Konark in the broad day light.