The Sun Temple of Konark was built by Narasimhadeva I. To which dynasty did he belong to?

King Narasimhadeva I (reigned 1238–1264 CE) belonged to the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, also known as the Imperial Ganga dynasty [t1][t6]. He was a powerful ruler of the Kalinga region who successfully repelled multiple invasions from the Delhi Sultanate and defeated the Sultanate's governor of Bengal [c1][t3]. To commemorate his military victories and cultural brilliance, he commissioned the construction of the Sun Temple at Konark in the 13th century [c1][t7]. The temple, designed as a massive stone chariot, is considered an architectural masterpiece of the Kalinga style [t9]. While he was the first ruler of his line to use the title 'Gajapati' (Lord of Elephants), his dynasty is distinct from the later Suryavamsi Gajapati dynasty, which succeeded the Eastern Gangas in the 15th century [t6][t8]. The Imperial Gangas reached their zenith under his rule, maintaining independence against Islamic expansion [t3][t6].

Sources

1. [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Reshaping India’s Political Map > Resistance to the Delhi Sultanate > p. 29
2. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasingha_Deva_I