The Timeless Jantar Mantar

We went to Jantar Mantar on Monday, 20 March 2023. Our visit was organised by EdTerra Edventures.

We learnt that there are five Jantar Mantars in India. These are located in five different cities, namely Jaipur, Mathura, New Delhi, Ujjain and Varanasi. All of them were built by Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur in the 18th century. These were built between 1724 and 1735. These observatories were constructed with the purpose of compiling the astronomical tables and predicting the times and movements of celestial objects. The biggest observatory of Jantar Mantar is located in Jaipur, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It includes a set of twenty main fixed instruments. These astronomical instruments in Jantar Mantar allow the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye. Jantar Mantar can be utilised for the purpose of measuring time, forecasting eclipses, monitoring the positions of stars and performing other scientific calculations.

We saw the largest sundial in the world, the Samrat Yantra, which is more than seventy feet tall. Samrat Yantra, also called the ‘supreme instrument’ is a sundial that can calculate time up to an accuracy of two seconds. Jantar Mantar, Jaipur also features many other instruments such as Jai Prakash Yantra, Niyati Chakra, Nadivalya, Karnti Vritya and Rama Yantra.

Our visit to Jantar Mantar exposed us to the innovation of our ancestors. We must understand that along with understanding the developments and upgradation of a city, we are also supposed to learn about its history. Without understanding the past, we cannot fix the future. One should keep visiting such places.

Writen By Raayansh & Vincent Sam (Mount Carmel School, Anand Niketan, Delhi).

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EdTerra Edventures conducts various other programs for the youth. If you go to school and are under 17 years of age, ask your school to contact us to arrange a visit to your school for an introduction to “Jaipur: Make an Impression” and other journeys under EdTerra’s India Discovery Program.

For queries call +91-11-48885800 or visit EdTerra Browse Journeys page to know more about the programs for school students. Visit our FB page by clicking HERE. Also, check our podcast page by clicking HERE.