1. Home ›
2. India ›
3. New Delhi ›
4. Travel ›
5. Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar is a tourist spot in Delhi. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur in the year in 1724, this observatory has 13 architectural astronomy instruments in it. The purpose of construction of this observatory was to compile and revise astronomical tables and for observing and predicting the movements of planets.

When I visited this place, I learned that the observatory has a few distinct instruments. The Samrat Yantra is used as a precision tool that is used for measuring declination and the coordinates of heavenly bodies.

The Jayaprakash Yantra helps in aligning a star’s position with a window’s edge or with various markings. The third instrument, Misra Yantra, is a tool that can help in determining the longest and the shortest days of a year. This instrument can also be used to find the exact noon timings in different parts of the world. But, Misra Yantra was not invented or installed by Maharaja Jai Singh II. I was told that it was a later addition to the observatory.

Today, Jantar Mantar stands only as a tourist attraction because of its significant contribution to the Science of Astronomy. So, those who are interested in topics like Astronomy may find this place interesting because they know its significance.

Image Credits: Mark Plummer