In the Odia folklore, Dharmapada was the son of a great architect named Bishu Maharana, who completed the construction of a temple in a single night to save 1,200 craftsmen from execution, and then sacrificed his own life to prevent the story from spreading.
Legend
According to history, the kingLangula Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty decided to build a massive temple in Konark. The temple was to be in the shape of the sun god riding in his chariot. 1,200 craftsmen were found to work on the temple, led by one named Bishu Maharana; the project was to take five years. As the end of the twelve years approached, Dharmapada, the son of Bishu Maharana, now 12 years of age, went to visit his father. Upon arrival, he found his father distressed; the crownon the sun god's head had yet to be completed, and the king had threatened to execute all 1,200 craftsmen if they did not finish it by morning. Although the task seemed impossible, Dharmapada single-handedly completed it. A debate then took place among the craftsmen. Fearing for their own lives if it became known that a child had completed the work instead of them, they demanded that Dharmapada be killed, a suggestion his father strenuously resisted. At last, to settle this debate, Dharmapada jumped from the crown he had completed, killing himself and ensuring the safety of the craftsmen.
Historical relevance of the character
There are few references available to support the existence of such a person named Dharmapada. There is not much mention of this name in any of the ancient Odia texts. However, the legend of Dharmapada is widely popular across the state of Odisha. Extensive writing referring to the legend in the poem Dharmapada penned by Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das has probably given the character much-needed identity in modern Odia literature.
Temple
The temple that Dharmapada is said to have completed still stands in Konark today, although in a somewhat dilapidated state. Constructed in the 13th century, it has been pillaged several times since then and has suffered severe damage. It is listed today as a World Heritage Site.
