Yantra Mandir (Delhi)

The Giant Observatory can be recognised as just a giant version of a spherical sundial.

Observatory

Jantar Mantar, Delhi

The Jantar Mantar is in the heart of New Delhi

Jantar Mantar, Delhi, c1858

The Yantra Mandir (literally the 'temple of instruments', and often called the Jantar Mantar), is located in the modern city of New Delhi, Delhi. It consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, from 1724 onwards, and is one of five built by him, as he was given by Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah the task of revising the calendar and astronomical tables. ^[1].

The primary purpose of the observatory was to compile astronomical tables, and to predict the times and movements of the sun, moon and planets. Some of these purposes nowadays would be classified as astrology.

[edit] Other observatories

In all, between 1727 and 1734, Jai Singh II, built five similar observatories, Yantra Mandirs, in west central India, all known by the same name, thus includes ones at Jaipur -Yantra mandir (Jaipur), Ujjain and Varanasi ^[2]

Today the observatory is mainly a tourist attraction, and is significant in the history of astronomy.

[edit] Further reading

• Articles on Jantar Mantar

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Jantar Mantar (Delhi)

• Yantra Mandir

[edit] References

1. ^ Jantar Mantar British Library
2. ^ Introduction www.jantarmantar.org.

[edit] External links

• Jantar Mantar - The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh II
• Observations on Jantar Mantar in New Delhi

Coordinates: 28°37′37.59″N 77°12′59.32″E / 28.6271083, 77.2164778

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