- The kings of the Eastern Ganga dynasty who held sway in Odisha from the 7th to the 13th centuries have left monumental temples at Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Konarak which are richly embellished with a wealth of sculptures.
- By the middle of the 9th century A.D. especially in Odisha, there developed a school of sculpture which, among other things, took sensuous delight in the lovely forms of women. There are numerous sculptures of beautiful female figures on the face of the walls.
- The Odisha templehas many such representations of young and charming creatures with seductive smiles, luxurious hair full of jewellery etc
- Similar lovely women are seen to appear everywhere as if growing out of trees and creepers, themselves like beautiful flowers and vines, often holding on to branches of trees and standing on floral ornaments. They are nymphs, and spirits that live in trees and shrubs and animate them.
- They are shown decorating the walls and temples in Odisha, which become vast forests of ornamentation, crowded with flowers, scrolls and elegant geometric design. Most of these lovely ladies stand in various dance poses
- The famous temple at Konark was built by Narasimhavarmanin the middle of the 12th century and dedicated to Surya or the sun god. It has been conceived as a huge stone chariot on immense wheels, dragged by seven rearing horses. Its presiding deity, the sun-god as seen here, is depicted in the typical north Indian manner, wearing boots, chain-mail armor, holding a lotus in each hand. He is riding a chariot driven by seven horses. On each side are his two wives, Chhaya and Suvarchasa, and the attendant’s Danda and Pingla.
- On the plinth of the Jagmohana of the temple, at a height of about 50 feet from the ground, are installed colossal celestial musicians facing in all directions, playing on different musical instruments. These celestial maidens are shown playing the Veena. The massive proportions and powerful modeling of the figure, and a gentle smile on her face, express a sense of harmonious delight.
- Another celestial maiden, similar to the Veena player, is this drummer. They are all in pink coloured sandstone of a rough texture. These figures are of colossal proportions yet very elegantly and beautifully carved.
- Narasimha, the great builder of the Konarak templeis shown here on a swing in his harem, surrounded by beautiful women and listening to music.
- Another scene shows him appreciating literature in an assembly of poets patronized by him.
- Yet another shows his tolerance for faiths by presenting him before Siva, Jagannath and Durga. There are several other similar representations of his life, and Konarak, with its rich sculpture, may be considered a storehouse of 13th-century culture in Odisha.
- The image of Surya from the Sun Temple at Konarak drawn by seven rearing horses, one of which fully caparisoned, is of monumental proportions.
- The Odisha artist without giving up the conventional lines of grace and vigor produced images that were faultless in the perfection of their form and vitality.
- The examples of this school have sensuous charm and beauty of form.The Mithuna, or a pair of amorous lovers, glows with the exuberance characteristic of Odisha art. They have the eternal smile of lovers who are absorbed in each other. In point of time as well as technique, Odisha art culminates in the famous Sun-temple at Konarak.