Jantar Mantar: A Classroom Without Walls

Have you ever been to a place where science and history meet under the open sky? We did. During our journey to Jaipur, we visited the Jantar Mantar, which was no less than a wonder. Built in the 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, it is not just a monument but a living laboratory of astronomy. We also learnt that there are a total of five Jantar Mantar observatories across Northern India. Visiting this site offered us both knowledge and discovery.

Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar is a collection of nineteen giant instruments designed to track time, celestial bodies, and predict eclipses. Among the nineteen instruments, we found the Samrat Yantra, Jai Prakash Yantra, and Rama Yantra to be the most fascinating. Samrat Yantra is a massive sundial that can calculate local solar time with an accuracy of two seconds. Jai Prakash Yantra is used to find the positions of stars and constellations. Lastly, the Rama Yantra helps to measure the altitude and azimuth of planets.

Each structure is built with precision and reflects a unique blend of art, science, and architecture. For us, Jantar Mantar was a reminder that India has long stood at the forefront of knowledge.

From our visit, we realised that Jantar Mantar is not just a tourist spot, but a classroom outside the walls. It inspires us to think beyond limits, to appreciate our heritage, and to value the curiosity that drives science. So, the next time you are in Jaipur, don’t just pass by, stand still, look up, and let the stars tell their story.

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