The Orissan devotional architecture which made an humble begining in the 2nd century B.C. had a history of 1500 years when the temple at Konark came into being. In shape the temple however did not make any bold departure from other Sikhar temples of Orissa. The main temple which enshrined the presiding deity has fallen off, but what remains at present enables us to reconstruct the whole. The doorway of the structure which was to the east has been blocked up giving the cella the appearance of a well. As a visitor stand facing the east, his attention is drawn to a step-like masonary which was a so called corbelled arch  usually found above the doorway of a temple and was meant to reduce weight on the linted. The total height of the temple was 227 feet. The joint structure of the Vimana and Jagamohana were conceived in the form of a Chariot (Ratha) and have therefore been based on an immense terrace with 24 giant wheels, being as it were, dragged on by seven richly caparisioned Steed. Each part of the temple proclaims its correct architectural application and the whole is assembled in such a masterly manner that the result is an ordained and convincing uniformity.