Jantar Mantar is a unique and most famous historical attraction in Jaipur located opposite to city palace in Jaipur. It was built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II in 1734. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was a keen academic, and astrology was one of his favorite areas of study. Jantar Mantar (Jaipur) features the world’s largest stone sundial and is home to 19 instruments to monitor the celestial objects in skies.

The Architecture of Jantar Mantar

The architecture of Jantar Mantar is magnificent and one of its kind in the entire world. The construction of the entire observatory was done using the local bricks, marbles and stones, and mortars. The Jantar Mantar Observatory has in total 19 instruments that can predict eclipses, measure time and can also track locations of several places. The instruments inside the observatory enable to see the astronomical positions with the naked eye. There is also a sundial called Vrihat Samrat Yantra that helps in giving local time which is generally accurate. There is also a zodiac circle called Rasivalaya that helps in measuring the longitude and latitude of celestial bodies. Similarly, there are other instruments as well like Nadivalaya, Chakra Yantra, Digamsa, etc.

Here is information about the unique top 9 yantras (instruments) inside Jantar Mantar Observatory: 1. Ram Yantra: The Rama Yantra in Jantar Mantar is another unique instrument used to measure the position of any celestial object. It helps to guide the position during day and night both. It aligns the shadow of the top of the pillar with the floor or wall. It is one of the powerful yantras among other 19 instruments that are devised by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh.

2. Vrihat Samrat Yantra: The Vrihat Smarat yantra (Jantar Mantar) is a huge sundial used to measure the local time with a precision of 2 seconds using shadow cast of sunlight. It is being said that Sawai Jai Singh has himself devised the Samrat Yantra along with Ram Yantra and Jay Prakash Yantra inside Jantar Mantar (Jaipur).

3. Jaya Prakash Yantra: The Jay Prakash Yantra is a bit complex but most accurate instrument. It is a bowl-shaped hemispherical instrument which is divided into two parts, covered with marble slabs with readings that divide it into further minutes and seconds. Jay Prakash is said to be covered at the last which makes it powerful and most rectified instrument. The marble slabs are included to cover the information about twelve zodiacs also. So the tools provide the

4. Karnti Vritya Yantra: The Karnti Vritya Yantra is made up of two brass circles which are used to measure celestial latitude and longitude. These circles are capable of rotation in the plane equator and the other in that of the ecliptic.

5. Chakra Yantra: Chakra yantra comprises of two framed stone pillars. The pillars are made up of material such that the readings of the pillar do not get affected by seasonal changes. They are made up of seven different alloys that have graduated scales till 360 degrees. These circular instruments are moved to revolve parallel to the earth's axis and point towards the direction of poles.

6. Laghu Samrat Yantra: The laghu samrat yantra is the small sundial which is used to calculate the time of Jaipur. However, the calculated time is less precise than samrat yantra due to its measuring size. The instrument is inclined at the angle of 27-degree Celsius which is same as the latitude of Jaipur and is used to calculate the declanation angle of the sun with the help of two of its quadrants which are divided by 6 hours, 6 minutes and each minute by 60 seconds.

7. Diganasa Yantra: The Diganasa instrument is used to measure the time of sunrise and sunset with the help of pillar right in the middle of two co-centric outer circles. It helps for precise forecasted predictions of the celestial bodies.

8. Nadi Valaya Yantra: The Nadi Valaya instrument in Jantar Mantar is used to measure the accurate timings of the day in less than one minute. It is done with the help of two plates facing north and south and inlined such that to represent two hemispheres of Earth which are always parallel to the equitorial plane.

9. Daksino Bhitti Yantra: The instrument consists of the two arcs that are constructed with white marble and have different graduation level with degrees and minutes. It is used to maesure the different minute readings and is basically used to observe the altitudes of heavenly bodies. The arcs are mainly constructed of white marble and graduated in degrees as well as minutes. To have accuracy in measuring the calculations, and minute readings, the steps are arranged so that one can reach very close to the graduation. At the center of the quadrants and semi-circle, short pegs are fixed. The instrument is mainly used for observing the different altitude of heavenly bodies. The reading can be taken from the upper end of the arc that gives altitude. The maximum and minimum direct point distance of the sun can be checked by observing the shadow every day.

10. Unnatamsa Yantra: This is another instriument to measure the altitude of celestial bodies. It is made up of a metal ring which is divided into four segments by horizontal and vertical lines, with a hole in the middle.

Thus, this Jantar Mantar was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II to follow the movement of celestial objects. The various instruments here are for multiple purposes ranging from figuring out the time, to estimating the size and distance of celestial bodies. The effort made by the Maharaja is extremely laudable as the Jantar Mantar of Jaipur stands today as a tribute to a scientific way of thought that was not so common at that time.

The natural conclusion for any traveler visiting Jaipur, therefore, is, that the thought-provoking Jantar Mantar is not to be skipped. Make sure you have gathered enough information on Jantar Mantar before you go.