Jantar Mantar Observatory

The observatory Jantar Mantar,(roughly translates to “The Formula of Instruments") was built by Sawai Jai Singh II. It consists of fourteen major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars in their orbits, ascertaining the declinations of planets and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. Phew!! 











Each is a fixed and “focused” tool. The Samrat Jantar, the largest instrument is 90 feet high, its shadow carefully plotted to tell the time of day. Its face is angled at 27 deg; the latitude of Jaipur, the Hindu chhatri (small domed cupola) on top is used as a platform for announcing eclipses and the arrival of monsoons. 

Built of local stone and marble, each instrument carries an astronomical scale, generally marked on the marble inner lining.

Jaipur

23/4/09

This was our welcome to Jaipur, there were two of them, but I couldn't photograph them together 
as they were at opposite ends of the entrance.

Jaipur, the Pink City is the capital of Rajasthan, founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Sing II. Hawa Mahal.



 The Palace of Winds is a five storey building with semi-octagonal and delicate honeycombed sandstone windows which allowed the ladies of the Royal Court to observe life in the streets below 
whilst remaining in purdah (out of sight).


The beautiful City Palace was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh (1688-1743) He was a remarkable monarch, being a mathematician, astronomer and a town planner, he also built the Jantar Mantar observatory.




Amer Fort  and Palace



Beautiful buildings,ceilings and roofs