Why
Jantar Mantar Observatory
in Jaipur, Rajasthan
is special

Although the site might look like a child's fancy playground, it's a serious collection of some 20 early 18th century astronomical measurement instruments.

Their purpose was to keep time, forecast eclipses, and track planets, stars, and constellations for scientists, agriculturists, and astrologists.

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Jantar Mantar Observatory
tips & insights

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History in brief

Maharaja Jai Singh II built the complex from 1727 to 1734. Similar ones were also constructed in Delhi and three other cities, but the one in Jaipur is the biggest and best preserved.

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Most famous unit

The Samrat Yantra sundial soars 27 meters (90 feet). Its two-second accuracy was a remarkable feat in the early 1700s. However, this unit is a tad less accurate today. Over time, its weight shifted the ground beneath it, enough to slightly misalign the structure.

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Other instruments

There are is a set of smaller sundials (one for each Zodiac sign) and well as other astronomical devices of different shapes, sizes, and purposes.

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Name

The site's name loosely translates as "calculator" in English. Jantar = "instrument" and Mantar = "calculating".

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Jantar Mantar photo by Mandy - CC BY 3.0

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