Jantar Mantar Jaipur

Jantar Mantar is a collection of nineteen architectural astronomical instruments, built by the Rajput King Sawai Jai Singh II. The construction if the monument started in 1720 and was completed in 1734. The monument features instruments operating in each of the three main classical celestial coordinate systems, the horizon-zenith local system, the equatorial system, and the ecliptic system. The name jantar is derived from yantra, a Sanskrit word meaning instrument and mantar from mantrana another Sanskrit word which means calculate Jantar Mantar literally means "calculating instrument". Jantar Mantar is a Stone Observatory. Metals Shrink and expands, but Stone wont and is not affected by any season.

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Laghu Samrat Yantra

Laghu Samrat Yantra is the smallest sundial at the monument, This sun dial can calculate time up to an accuracy of 20 seconds. The ramp of this sundial points towards the North Pole, and hence Jaipur time can be easily calculated from the position of ramp’s shadow on the fine divisions of the carved scale. The shadow of the triangular wall of the yantra plus the reference time tells the local time. The current reference time when we visited was 37 minutes.

30Degree Slope

Laghu Samrat Yanthra

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Jai Prakash Yantra

Jai Prakash Yantra consist of two hemispherical bowl like sundial with marked marble slabs that map inverted image of sky. Gaps seen in the hemisplerical bowl are added to allow the observer to move inside the instrument. This missing portion in one hemisphere is present in the other. In the middle there is a iron ring which represents sun. The inverted image of the sky falls on the slabs and the movement of the inverted shadows help to detect the elevation, azimuth, hour angles and exact position of heavenly bodies.

Jai Prakash Yantra

Both Parts of Jai Prakash Yantra

Vrihat Smarat Yantra

Vrihat Smarat Yantra is largest sundial in the world. Vrihat Samrat Yantra, which means the "great king of instruments", is having a height of 88 feet (27 m). It is placed at the center of Jantar Mantar observatory. This instruments works similar to the Small Sundial, but has a precision of two seconds. The shadow of the triangular wall of the yantra, which is positioned in the north-south direction with an angle identical to the latitude of this location, travels equal distances in equal intervals of time, on the eastern and western quadrants. This movement is standardized to calculate and interpret the local time.

Vrihat Samrat Yanthra The Largest Sundial in the World at Jantar Mantar in Jaipur Rajasthan

Vrihat Samrat Yantra, Largest Sundial in the World

Ram Yantra

Ram Yantra measures elevation and azimuth of Sun and planets. The instrument comprises a pair of tube-shaped structures, open to the sky. Each structure has a pole of equal height at the center. Scales indicating angles of altitude and azimuth of extra-terrestrial bodies are inscribed inside the walls of these structures. When the shadow falls at the top of the wall of the instrument, the altitude of the Sun is zero. When the shadow is at the junction between the wall and the floor, the altitude of the sun is 45 degrees. Altitude between 45 to 90degrees can be read in a radial direction on the floor of the instrument. The circular ring near the roof of the instrument has 360 degree scale for the azimuth, along the circumference. Each degree division is further divided into minute divisions and the smallest division is one fifth of a degree. Ram Yantra is only seen in Jantar Mantar of Jaipur and New Delhi.

Ram Yantra

Rashi Valaya Yantra

There are 12 instruments in Rashi Valaya Yantra. Each of the 12 instruments is associated with one of the 12 signs of the zodiac.The purpose of the instrument is to calculate the sidereal time.

All Instruments in Jantar Mantar:

Chakra Yantra - our semicircular arcs on which a gnomon casts a shadow, thereby giving the declination of the Sun at four specified times of the day. This data corresponds to noon at four observatories around the world (Greenwich in UK, Zurich in Switzerland, Notke in Japan and Saitchen in the Pacific); this is equivalent of a wall of clocks registering local times in different parts of the world.
Dakshin Bhitti Yantra - measures meridian, altitude and zenith distances of celestial bodies.
Digamsha Yantra - a pillar in the middle of two concentric outer circles, used to measure azimuth of the sun, and to calculate the time of sunrise and sunset forecasts.
Disha Yantra
Dhruva Darshak Pattika - observe and find the location of pole star with respect to other celestial bodies.
Jai Prakash Yantra - two hemispherical bowl-based sundial with marked marble slabs that map inverted image of sky and allows the observer to move inside the instrument, measures altitudes, azimuths, hour angles, and declinations.
Kapali Yantra - measures coordinates of celestial bodies in azimuth and equatorial systems, any point in sky can be visually transformed from one coordinate system to another.
Kanali Yantra
Kranti Vritta Yantra - measures longitude and latitude of celestial bodies.
Laghu Samrat Yantra - the smaller sundial at the monument, inclined at 27 degrees, to measure time, less accurate than Vrihat Samrat Yantra.
Misra Yantra - meaning mixed instrument, it is a compilation of five different instruments.
Nadi Valaya Yantra - two sundials on different faces of the instrument, the two faces represent north and south hemispheres, the accuracy of the instrument in measuring the time is less than a minute.
Palbha Yantra
Rama Yantra - an upright building used to find the altitude and the azimuth of the sun.
Rashi Valaya Yantra - 12 gnomon dials that measure ecliptic coordinates of stars, planets and all 12 constellation systems.
Shastansh Yantra - next to Vrihat Samrat Yantra, this instrument is a 60-degree arc built in the meridian plane within a dark chamber. At noon, the sun's pinhole image falls on a scale below enabling the observer to measure the zenith distance, declination, and the diameter of the Sun.
Unnatamsa Yantra - a metal ring divided into four segments by horizontal and vertical lines, with a hole in the middle; the position and orientation of the instrument allows measurement of the altitude of celestial bodies.
Vrihat Samrat Yantra - world's largest gnomon sundial, measures time in intervals of 2 seconds using shadow cast from the sunlight.
Yantra Raj Yantra - a 2.43-metre bronze astrolabe, one of the largest in the world, used only once a year, calculates the Hindu calendar.

An instrument in Jantar Mantar in Jaipur Rajasthan

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Best Time To Visit Jantar Mantar Jaipur

The best time of the day to visit Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is noon. During mid-day, the Sun is vertically above and it is easy to understand the process of interpretation of the readings of each instrument.