In the previous post the Sun-Dial was shown, now I am psoting a photograph of a device known as "Jaiprakash Yantra" which was designed to determine in which Zodiac Sign the Sun was positioned at any given point of time. It is a wonderful device and a very interesting one too. In the photograph you can see a cylindrical structure with 12 pillars supporting a 'Ring' at the top. The shadow of this ring falling on a hemisphere inside the structure was used for reckoning the Zodiac.
The monument is housed in an open space enclosed by boundary walls and maintained by Archaeological Survey of India. The instruments installed at Jantar-Mantar were built by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1699-1943AD), the king of Jaipur. He was keenly interested in Astronomy and it was due to his extraordinary interest that Jantar Mantar came into being. The photograph posted below, exclusively for you, is an overview of the premises of the monument!
Janatar Mantar is an intriguing monument, unique in concept and built in an era when there were no machines to carryout accurate measurements or marking. There are fourteen unique astronomy-related-geometric devices (yantras) in the premises called Jantar Mantar. There are Sun-Dials Moon-Dials etc. etc. which will bewitch you, not easy to understand though. You better engage a guide if you are a serious tourist. Photograph showing the Entrance of Jantar-Mantar, Jaipur.
The picture shows the enclosure of Jantar-Mantar, at Jaipur, Rajasthan. There are many Structures and instruments, each having a unique function, installed at 'Jantar-Mantar' arena. There is a boundary wall which encloses the whole area consisting these structures and remains open till 5:00 PM only. You will need a tourist guide if you want to know about the instruments and their function.
Janatar - Mantar is located at the heart of the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, beside the City Palace! It is, in fact, a collection of a number of structures and instruments built by Sawai Jai Singh. The Maharaja had a great interest in Astronomy and had scholars who were experts in Astronomy and mathematics. He himself had a great deal of knowledge of the subject -- as a result he wanted to make use of his knowledge to understand the positioning of the various planets and stars.
The two photographs posted below shows show the Sun-Dial built by Sawai Man Singh to find the time, based upon the shadow of a structure on the Sun-Dial. It functions during the day only and that too when there is Sunshine.
There is a staircase at the center with two Dials, one on the left and the other one on the right. The shadow of the Staircase falls on the
1) Sun-Dial on the left, from Sunrise to noon.
2) Sun-Dial on the right, noon to Sunset.
There are markings on the Sun-Dials which are counted, as per position of the shadow, to find the time at any given point. The accuracy of the measurement is within 1/2 (half) a min.
