SUN PILLAR OR ARUNA STAMBHA OR ARUNA PILLAR

Hindu temples in eastern parts of India have four types of pillars. They are Teja Stambha, Prasanna Stambha, Dharma Stambha and Shakti Stambha. The Teja Stambha is also known as Aruna Stambha and is kept in front of Sun Temples. The Prasanna Stambha is also known as Garuda Stambha and is found in front of Vaishnava temples. The temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri has two unique pillars, namely, the "Garuda Stambha" and the "Aruna Stambha". In Sanskrit language 'Stambha' is called pillar.

The Aruna Stambha is placed in front of the Lion's Gate (Simha Dwara) of Lord Jagannath Temple on the eastern side. This Stambha is also popularly known as Sun Pillar or Aruna Pillar. The area where the Aruna Stambha was installed, is popularly known as "Aruna Stambha Chakada". The daily rituals of the Sun Pillar are performed by the Chunara/Garuda Sevaks of Jagannath Temple. The devotees are also offered their Puja to the Idol of Aruna before entering the Jagannath Temple using the Lion's gate. The Arun Stambha is a masterpiece of art that bears powerful testimony to the history of Odia sculpture. For safety and security reasons, the Aruna Stambha is surrounded by iron grills.

History of the Aruna Stambha (Sun Pillar)

• The Aruna Stambha is originally stood before the Sun temple of Konark.
• The historians and researchers give their opinion that King Langula Narsingha Dev of Ganga dynasty was built the Aruna Stambha during the construction of the Konark temple in 13th century.
• On the top of the Stambha, the statue of Aruna is mounted as he is the Sarathi (charioteer) of the Sun God, hence the pillar is called the Sun Pillar or Aruna Stambha.
• The Konark temple was damaged during 15th to 17th century. After that, in the 18th century, the Aruna Stambha was shifted from Konark to Puri by the Marathas.
• In the Madala Panji, Chronicle of Jagannath Temple, it is mentioned that the Aruna Stambha was brought from the Konark Sun temple, during the reign of Bhoi king Dibyasingha Deva II, by the Maratha Guru Brahmachari Gosain and re-erected in front of the Lion's gate of Lord Jagannath temple.
• From the 18th century till today, the Sun Pillar is worshipped by the devotees of Jagannath Temple.
• From the Vedic times, Surya (Sun God) is taken to be identical with Lord Vishnu. Hence it was quite appropriate to place the Sun Pillar in front of the temple of Vishnu-Jagannath at Puri.
• This Aruna Stambha is 700 years old (13th century to 21st century).

Architecture and Dimensions of the Aruna Stambha (Sun Pillar)

• The Sun Pillar is a sixteen-sided polygonal polished monolithic (made of a single stone) shaft of chlorite stone.
• Height of the Sun Pillar is 25 feet and 2 inches.
• Diameter of the Sun Pillar is 2 feet.
• Circumference of the Sun Pillar is 6 feet and 3.5 inches.
• The Sun Pillar stands on an exquisitely carved pedestal (made of chlorite) of 7 feet 9 inches square.
• The pedestal is beautifully carved with war scenes and other stone figures.
• Height of the pedestal is 6 feet.
• The Sun Pillar has a capital (crowning member of a column) on the top with a squatting figure of Aruna in prayer mode.
• The capital is formed of two rings surmounted by a series of lotus petals.
• Height of the capital is 2 feet and 6 inches.
• The total height of the Sun Pillar is 33 feet & 8 inches from the ground to the top (Height of Pedestal + Height of Pillar + Height of Capital)).

What is the difference between Aruna Stambha and Garuda Stambha?

Most of time devotees coming to Jagannath temple are confused and considered both the pillars as Garuda Pillar (Garuda Sambha), but actually they are different and placed in different locations of the temple.

• The Aruna Stambha is placed, outside of the Jagannath temple premises, in front of the entrance to the eastern gateway (Lion's Gate), but Gaurda Stambha is placed, inside of the temple, on the eastern side of the Nata Mandapa (Dancing Hall).
• Aruna Stambha is not part of the core structure of Jagannath temple, it was built at Konark Sun temple and was brought from there and placed in front of Jagannath Temple, but Garuda Stambha is a core structure of the Jagannath Temple and was built during the construction of Jagannath Temple.
• Aruna is the Sarathi (charioteer) of Sun God and Gaurda is the Vahana (carrier) of Lord Vishnu.

References:

• https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2016/July/engpdf/29-33.pdf
• https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/jun2004/englishpdf/pillar.pdf

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