Aruna Stambha, Puri, Odisha.

Abhisek Dash 23 months ago

Sacred place infront of Sri Jagannath Temple of Puri Dham.
You will feel more powerful than ever once you go near or touch it.

Snehasis Mondal 23 months ago

ARUNA STAMBHA (PILLAR), JAGANNATH TEMPLE, PURI

The Aruna stamba or pillar is a masterpiece of art that bears eloquent testimony to the impeccable history of Odia sculpture. It is a striking monument of marked elegance, stands in front of the main gate (lion gate or simha dwara) of Shree Jagannath Temple. The pillar is named so after the name of Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun God. It is a magnificent sixteen-sided monolithic column of chlorite stone set on an exquisite pedestal, delicately carved of the same material.
This pillar is of the most sumptuous description, the like of which are to be seen nowhere else in India.
It is 7.7 metre in height, 60 cm in diameter, and 1.92 metre in circumference. The exquisitely carved pedestal on which the Aruna stambha stands is of 2.36 metre square and 1.8 metre high, and has a capital on the top of 76 cm high, over which mounted an elegant statue of Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun God Surya, in a prayer mode.
The capital is formed of two rings surmounted by a series of lotus petals. The measurements, thus, give a total height of 10.26 metre from the ground, including the pedestal to the top of the capital.
The date of this pillar can be traced back to the early part of 13th century CE. One significant thing about the Arun stambha is that originally it used to stand before the Sun temple at Konark from where it was shifted by the Marathas to its present site in the 18th century CE.
It is said that this beautiful pillar was erected in honour of the sun God at Konark. But when the Konark temple was abandoned and worship ceased there, in absence of the presiding deity, this pillar was brought to Puri in the last quarter of the 18th century CE. This pillar re-erected it in front of the simha dwara of Shree Jagannath temple where we see it now.

DS 60 months ago

Aruna stambha.
ଅରୁଣ ସ୍ତମ୍ବ.
It's a big rounded rock pillar.
May be this pillar first placed at konark sun temple puri, a long time ago it was brought from konark temple to puri shree jagannath temple.
Now it's situated infront of sihna dwara(east side gate).
Deity aruna is sit on the top of the pillar, so this big rock pillar is called aruna stamba.
When you go to puri shree mandir first see aruna stamba.
First people touch the down portion of this pillar and then go to see lord jagannath.
It's a devine pillar.