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Multi-Pronged Search for Palaeo-Channels near Konark Temple, Odisha - Implications for the Mythical River Chandrabhaga


Affiliations
1 Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
2 Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
 

The 13th century CE Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha, India, is believed to have been built at the mouth of an ancient river named Chandrabhaga. This mythical river figures prominently in ancient literature, although at present no river exists in the proximity of the Konark Sun Temple. This study investigates the possibility of existence of a 'lost' river system near Konark through integrated geological and geophysical exploration in conjunction with historical evidence. Landsat, Aster Terra Look and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission images have been used to identify and delineate the channel of an ancient river. A number of thematic maps have been generated and analysed in analytical hierarchy process and later integrated on a GIS platform to delineate the most probable trace of a palaeo-channel. The existence of a palaeo-channel at some locations is further corroborated through shallow surface geophysics using ground penetrating radar. The identified palaeochannel passes north of the Konark Sun Temple, extending approximately parallel to the coast.

Keywords

Analytical Hierarchy Process, Mythical River, Palaeo-Channel, Shallow Surface Geophysics, World Heritage Sites.
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  • Multi-Pronged Search for Palaeo-Channels near Konark Temple, Odisha - Implications for the Mythical River Chandrabhaga

Abstract Views: 396  |  PDF Views: 129

Authors

Subhamoy Jana
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
William Kumar Mohanty
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
Saibal Gupta
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
Chirashree Srabani Rath
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
Rashmi R. Behera
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
Priyadarshi Patnaik
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India

Abstract


The 13th century CE Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha, India, is believed to have been built at the mouth of an ancient river named Chandrabhaga. This mythical river figures prominently in ancient literature, although at present no river exists in the proximity of the Konark Sun Temple. This study investigates the possibility of existence of a 'lost' river system near Konark through integrated geological and geophysical exploration in conjunction with historical evidence. Landsat, Aster Terra Look and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission images have been used to identify and delineate the channel of an ancient river. A number of thematic maps have been generated and analysed in analytical hierarchy process and later integrated on a GIS platform to delineate the most probable trace of a palaeo-channel. The existence of a palaeo-channel at some locations is further corroborated through shallow surface geophysics using ground penetrating radar. The identified palaeochannel passes north of the Konark Sun Temple, extending approximately parallel to the coast.

Keywords


Analytical Hierarchy Process, Mythical River, Palaeo-Channel, Shallow Surface Geophysics, World Heritage Sites.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv111%2Fi8%2F1387-1393