Vacation Postcards - 3

Jaipur: Jantar Mantar

Everybody would have heard about the Jaipur observatory that houses the largest sun dial of the world. I found this collection of architectural astronomical marvels really fascinating. Located right next to the City Palace, Jantar Mantar is one of the five astronomical observatories built by Maharaja Jai Singh in the year 1728. Formerly called Yantra Mantra, meaning instruments and formulae, the observatory has devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking planet positions and stars in their orbit and more.

Jantar Mantar in Delhi and Jaipur are said to have been built on the orders of Emperor Muhammad Shah, who asked Jai Singh to make corrections in the astronomical tables and to confirm the already available planetary positions. Sawai Jai Singh is said to have sent his envoys to various parts of the world to collect information in astronomy. The Jaipur observatory was apparently based on the data available in the La Hire's "Tables". Upon completion it was discovered to be even more accurate than the table itself. There are of course other interesting legends on the origin of these astronomical devices.

The observatory houses the Jaiprakash Yantra, Samrat Yantra, Ram Yantra and the Composite instrument, which comprises of a sundial and a massive hemisphere.

		Laghu Samrat Yantra (Small Sundial)
		Samrat Yantra (Large Sundial): Stands at 27 metre tall, its shadow moving visibly at 1mm per second. Its face is angled at 27 degrees, the latitude of Jaipur.
		Rasivalaya Yantra: Set of 12 instruments, corresponding to the signs of Zodiac
		Jai Prakash Yantra: A multi-purpose instrument that tells the times, measures the coordinates of celestial bodies and the zodiac sign of the day, among others.
		Ram Yantra: Used for finding the azimuth and altitude of the sun, moon and stars