The world’s largest stone sundial, named Vrihat Samrat Yantra, is one of the 19 instruments in Jantar Mantar. These instruments were mainly made of stone, bronze, bricks and mortar. Some other popular instruments of this observatory include Laghu Samrat Yantra, Jaya Prakash Yantra, Ram Yantra and Digamsa. For an enriching experience, take a guided tour so that you can learn in detail about the history of the place and how the instruments functioned.
History of Jantar Mantar Jaipur
Sawai Jai Singh II was a renowned scholar of his time. Once a while, Emperor Muhammad Shah assigned him a task to confirm and rectify the currently available data on the position and movement of celestial bodies.
Sawai Jai Singh was desperate to refine the tables of ancient Islamic zij to determine the exact time. In short, he aimed to create a well-defined calendar. He was keen on making accurate astrological predictions for the benefit of mankind.
To bring his dream to reality, he decided that he would construct Jantar Mantar in the year 1718. For the same, he set out on a mission to extensively study the cosmological principles as laid down by the philosophical findings of Hindu, Islamic, European, and Persian civilization.
In this way, five different astronomical observatories were constructed across various states in India.
The largest amongst all was built in Jaipur in between the period 1727 to 1733. After that, it underwent frequent renovations with the lapse of time.
The available instruments have a broad range of cosmological applications. In the year 2010, this astronomical observatory got featured in the list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites.
The architecture of Jantar Mantar Jaipur
The astronomical observatory of Jaipur – Jantar Mantar, is a collection of both astronomical and architectural instruments. In all, you may find around 19 major geometrical devices here. Each one of them has got its own specific application.
These devices are used to measure time; ascertain the declination of the planets and the planetary system; prediction of the eclipses; determination of the celestial altitudes, and tracking of the orbital stars.
Sheltering so many instruments, the entire observatory extends to a land stretch of 18700 metres. Interestingly, some of the instruments available here are amongst the largest in their own species.
The instruments of this astronomical observatory were carved out purely from stone and marble as they have got a tremendous potential to withstand climatic changes. Some of them were designed by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II himself.
A few of these instruments were carved out from copper and still are recognised for their undeniable accuracy. In terms of its dimensions, the Jantar Mantar at Jaipur is the largest of all its counterparts present elsewhere in India.
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