|
|
|
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur |
|
Information on Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is the most famous one among the
five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh and is
located close to the gate of the famous City Palace of
Jaipur. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the Rajput ruler of
Amber and the founder of Jaipur was a learned man and an
astronomer who was deeply interested in the working of
the celestial bodies and so he built the observatory
known as Jantar Mantar. |
 |
|
|
Jantar Mantar
is the biggest stone observatory in the world, which is still
in a running condition.
The name 'Jantar Mantar' is derived from
Sanskrit word 'Yantra Mantra' which means instruments and
formulae. Later due to mispronunciation it was changed to the
known name.
Sawai Jai Singh II was commissioned by
Emperor Muhammad Shah, to make corrections in the astronomical
tables and to confirm the data, already available on the
planetary positions. Sawai Jai Singh II took seven years to
finish the task. He built the first stone observatory in 1724
in Delhi. Maharaja Jai Singh II constructed 5 observatory in
west and central part of India between 1727 to 1734 and Jantar
Mantar in Jaipur is the largest of all. The Jaipur observatory
was built in 1728. |
| |
|
History of Jantar Mantar
There is a fascinating history regarding the
construction of this observatory. Sawai Jai Singh II
sent his men to various parts of the world. The men came
back with manuals, astronomical tables and data on the
advances made in the field of astronomy. La Hire's
"Tables" was one of these manuals. Sawai Jai Singh II
ordered the observatory to be constructed according to
the data available in this manual. Amazingly,
|
 |
|
| after Jantar
Mantar was built, it was discovered that the observatory was
more accurate than the Table itself.
Sawai Jai Singh had the choice either to
construct the observatory with metal instruments or masonry
instruments. The metal instruments, constructed according to
the text of the Islamic school of astronomy, did not measure
up to Jai Singh's expectations. So, he discarded them in favor
of the instruments of stone and masonry that he himself
designed. In this Observatory one can view the wonderful
masonry instruments. The observatory has the Jaiprakash Yantra,
Samrat Yantra, Ram Yantra and the Composite instrument, which
comprises of a sundial and a massive hemisphere. Jantar Mantar
was built not only to verify astronomical observations made at Jaipur, but also to stimulate interest in astronomy, which had
become enmeshed in theory, superstition and religious jargon. |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
