Surya

Most of us believe Konark to be the only sun temple. , while there are others for whom the sun temple in their vicinity is second only to the one at Konark. Yet, there are more than a hundred sun temples dotting the length and breadth of the country, while there are several others spanning the globe. Ranjan Kumar Singh s latest book Surya: The God and His Abode depicts seven of these temples that include six in India and one abroad. The sun temples portrayed in the book are Arsavalli (Andhra Pradesh); Deo (Bihar); Goalpara (Assam); Katarmal (Uttarakhnd); Konark (Orissa); Modhera (Gujrat) and Wat Arun (Bangkok, Thailand). In course of his research the author spent a week on an average at each of the temple sites that have found place in this book. All the text, available in the libraries or on web, could not have given him as much insight into the subject as he could pick up from the elders and the local guides. His wanderings have given him immense wealth in the form of folk culture and traditions pertaining to Surya that he brings now for all to share.

Ranjan Kumar Singh is a journalist-author-photographer with more than twenty-eight years of experience. He has produced and directed more than dozen features, documentaries and docu-features for various TV channels. He represented India in the Third World Archaeological Congress to present a paper on "Theft and Smuggling of Antiquities" and has also directed a film on the subject. He went to University of Oslo to study 'Art in Norway' and has traveled far and wide to give lectures on various aspects of Indian culture and archaeology. He has authored six books including Delhi: Rising above Ruins and finds place in several anthologies. An exhibition of his photography on the monuments of Delhi was hosted by the Indira Gandhi National center for the Arts.