A unique structure raised in 1724, now lies
in the heart of Delhi's commercial centre near Connaught
place. This is the Jantar Mantar, one of several astronomical
observatories raised by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur.
The various abstract structures within the Jantar Mantar
are, in fact, instruments that were used for keeping
track of celestial bodies. Yet, Jantar Mantar is not
only a timekeeper of celestial bodies, it also tells
a lot about the technological achievements under the
Rajput kings and their attempt to resolve the mysteries
regarding astronomy. The Jantar Mantar of Delhi is only
one of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh
II, the other four being located at Jaipur, Varanasi,
Ujjain and Mathura. |
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All of these were built as far back as AD 1724-1730
during the period generally known as the dark age of
Indian history, when the last great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
had died and the Mughal Empire was rapidly declining.
During this period of turmoil, Muhammad Shah ascended
the throne of the Mughal Empire.
As many enemies surrounded him, he sought
the alliance of the Hindu rulers. Of these, the most
notable was Sawai Jai Singh II of Amber, who came into
limelight since the days of Aurangzeb. When Jai Singh
ascended the throne of Amber in 1699, he was barely
eleven, but sharp and shrewd far beyond his years. The
then Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was so impressed with
the young ruler that he gave Jai Singh II the title
of 'Sawai', meaning one and a quarter of an average
man in worth.
As Jai Singh repeatedly proved himself a worthy
ally of the Mughals, Muhammad Shah, who was seeking
a dependable ally, zeroed in on Jai Singh and duly raised
him to the rank of governor of Agra and later, of Malwa.
Legend Behind Jantar Mantar Jai Singh was passionate
about two things-arts and the sciences, chiefly astronomy.
Once, at the court of Muhammad Shah, he found the Hindu
and Muslim astrologers embroiled in a heated argument
over certain planetary positions.
It was imperative that the positions be known
accurately to determine an auspicious hour for the emperor
to set out on an expedition. Jai Singh offered to rectify
the then available astronomical tables, an offer that
was readily accepted by the Mughal emperor. The
result was an onsite Jantar Mantar in Delhi, an astronomical
observatory where the movements of sun, moon and planets
could be observed.
Jai Singh's idea was to create a rebirth of
practical astronomy among the Indian masses and practicing
astronomers. However, the lofty ideals of the Jantar
Mantar remained unfulfilled as the country at that time
was in chaos and the full potential of this observatory
was never realized. In the beginning, Jai Singh tried
to use brass instruments in this observatory, but soon
gave them up because of several inherent flaws. They
were too small, for one thing, their axes were unstable
so the center often got displaced.
He then decided to follow the style adopted
by the renowned Arab astronomer, Prince Ulugh Beg, builder
of the famous 15th century observatory at Samarkand,
Uzbekistan. The massive masonry instruments at Samarkand
suited Jai Singh's architectural tastes and promised
to be more accurate because of sheer size. In 1730,
Jai Singh sent a mission to the king of Lisbon. On its
return to Jaipur, the mission brought back a telescope
and the court astronomer by the name of Xavier de Silva.
The Observatory This unique observatory was completed
in 1724 and remained operational only for seven years.
Astronomical observations were regularly made over here
and these observations were used for drawing up a new
set of tables, later compiled as Zij Muhammad Shahi
dedicated to the reigning monarch. Jai Singh named his
observatory Jantar Mantar, which is actually pronounced,
as 'Yantra Mantra', yantra for instrument and mantra
for formula. A huge sundial known as "Samrat Yantra"
or 'Prince of Dials', meant to measure accurate time
of the day within half a second and the declination
of the sun and other heavenly bodies dominates it.
Jai Singh himself designed this yantra. Other
yantras were also meant for the study of heavenly bodies,
plotting their course and predicting eclipses. The two
pillars on the southwest of Mishra Yantra are meant
to determine the shortest and longest days of the year.
Interestingly, in December one pillar completely covers
the other with its shadow while in June it does not
cast any such shadow at all. After the completion of
the first Jantar Mantar and with a view to verifying
astronomical observations made at Delhi, Jai Singh built
similar, even if smaller observatories, at other important
Indian cities-Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain, and Mathura.
The Jantar Mantars may have fallen into disuse
but they remain an integral part of India's scientific
heritage. It presents that the spirit of scientific
enquiry was not dead in India and would have yielded
rich results if only an opportunity of research and
development had been given to it. This monument situated
just a stroll away on the Parliament Street, still remains
one of the most intriguing structures of the capital,
one that burst in a flood of questions inside the curious
mind of the tourist. Timing : Daily 9.00am - 7.00pm.
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