NEW DELHI: In a first, four replicas of Konark wheels, crafted in sandstone, have been installed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre and Amrit Udyan.The move to install the replicas of the ‘wheels of life and time’ from Odisha’s Konark Sun Temple, a UNESCO world heritage site, is part of the government’s broader efforts to integrate the traditional, cultural, and historical elements into Rashtrapati Bhavan. Konark epitomises the Odiya temple architecture, designed as a massive chariot for the Sun God. The wheels depicted around the temple walls symbolise India’s cultural legacy.Each of the wheels on the four replicas features eight wider spokes and eight thinner spokes. The distance between two wider spokes represents 3 hours (180 minutes), while the thinner spoke between them signifies 1.5 hours (90 minutes). Notably, 30 beads are placed between each wider and thinner spoke, with each bead traditionally representing 3 minutes in India’s ancient metaphysics. Information about the Konark wheels indicates that the eight major spokes represent the ‘prahars’, denoting segments of a 24-hour cycle. Besides, the 12 pairs of wheels sculpted on the chariot might be symbolising the 12 zodiac signs. They are also believed to be representing the Dharmachakra of Buddhism, embodying the essence of the Wheel of Karma and the cosmic law.
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