5/5 TEJAS G. 2 years ago on Google
Sun
was
one
of
the
most
worshipped
gods
in
the
ancient
world.
Whether
it
be
Apollo
of
Greeks
or
βSol
Invictusβ
of
Romans
or
Ra
in
ancient
Egypt.
In
Hinduism
too,
the
Sun
god
Surya
or
Aditya
occupies
a
prominent
place.
He
had
an
active
role
to
play
in
Mahabharata
as
the
father
of
Karana.
Several
temples
have
been
built
to
worship
this
source
and
sustainer
of
all
life
on
Earth
besides
finding
shrines
in
several
temples
dedicated
to
Shiva.
Unlike
with
other
ancient
civilizations
mentioned
above,
the
Indian
Sun
temples
still
attract
faith
and
several
pilgrims
visit
these
temples
and
dip
in
the
sacred
tanks
connected
with
them
with
belief
that
it
would
cure
them
of
leprosy,
blindness,
skin
diseases
etc.
Again,
Sunday
is
the
special
day
for
worship
and
thus
these
temples
are
more
crowded
than
is
normal
during
those
days.
Besides
being
specimens
of
the
brilliant
architecture
of
ancient
India,
these
temples
are
not
without
the
cultural
influence
of
other
civilizations.
The
remains
of
an
ancient
Sun
temple
are
found
at
Martanda
near
Srinagar
in
Kashmir,
so
one
wonders
how
many
of
the
Sun
temples
have
fallen
prey
to
the
tides
of
the
time.
The
following
ones
though
have
survived:
Sun
Temple,
Gaya
The
Magdha
region
has
been
mentioned
repeatedly
in
ancient
epics
for
Sun
worship.
Dakshinaarka
Sun
temple
in
Gaya
is
one
of
the
ancient
Sun
temples
in
India.
The
Dakshinaarka
temple
at
Gaya
in
Bihar
is
one
of
the
most
Sun
temples
in
India.
Offerings
are
made
by
hundreds
of
pilgrims
to
their
ancestors
at
Dakshina
Maanas
tank
β
one
of
several
spots
on
this
temple
complex.
What
might
interest
you
is
the
way
Sun
god
is
dressed
in
the
central
image
with
a
belt
and
boots
in
somewhat
West
Asian
style.
Please
note
that
Dakshinaarka
Sun
temple
is
not
the
only
Sun
temple
in
the
region.
Gaya
is
home
to
at
least
two
more
notable
Sun
temples
β
the
Uttaraka
temple
located
near
the
Uttara
Maanas
tank
and
the
Gayaditya
temple
on
the
banks
of
river
Falgu.