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Jantar Mantar |
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The Yantra Mandir or the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi literally means ‘temple of instruments’. The Jantar Mantar is an astronomical equinoctial dial comprised of a massive gnomon which is triangular in shape. Each of the sides of this gnomon contains a quadrant of a circle lying parallel to the equator’s plane. The Jantar Mantar includes an exclusive collection of instruments of architectural astronomy which were created by Jaipur’s Maharaja Jai Singh II for his personal use in the year 1724. The main objective of the Jantar Mantar was to assemble astronomical tables and calculate the movements of the planets, the moon and the Sun. Having immense historical importance in the field of astronomy, the Jantar Mantar happens to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Delhi.
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Located near the Connaught Place in New Delhi, the Jantar Mantar is one of the five well-known astronomical observatories constructed by Maharaja Jai Singh II in Jaipur, Delhi, Varanasi, Mathura and Ujjain. Maharaja Jai Singh II was attracted by the two things of arts and science, astronomy being his main interest. At Muhammad Shah’s court Jai Singh once saw the Muslim and Hindu astrologers involved in a serious discussion on the specific positions of the planets. For determining a propitious hour for the emperor’s departure for an expedition it was very important to be sure about the exact position of the planets. The Maharaja then proposed to fix the existing astronomical tables, the offer being instantly accepted by Muhammad Shah. As a result the Jantar Mantar was built in Delhi. Jai Singh conceptualized of popularizing practical astronomy among the common people and the astronomers. The masonry instruments in Samarkhand built by Prince Ulugh Beg matched his preference and when the mission of 1730 sent by Jai Singh to Lisbon’s king returned to Jaipur, it carried back Xavier de Silva, a court astronomer and a telescope.
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