Origins of the Aruna Stambha in Puri

The famous Aruna stambha in Puri actually has nothing to do with the Puri temple. It was originally a part of the Konark sun temple (as Aruna is the chariot driver of the sun god). Since the Konark temple was in complete ruins and collapsing (due to invasion and destruction by Muslim armies led by Kalapahada), the Aruna stambha was salvaged and placed in front of Puri temple in the late 1700’s.