Jantar Mantar: The Science of Indian Conjecture

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The Instruments of the Jantar Mantar Like its Delhi counterpart, the observatory at Jaipur consists of nine different instruments of which smaller implements, such as the sextant and the astrolabe, are contained within. The Jantar Mantar is unique in this aspect as these are still in an excellent state of repair, unlike in Delhi: The Samrat Yantra The Dakshino Bhitti Yantra The Digamsa Yantra The Rashi Valaya Yantra The Jai Prakash Yantra (Great and Small) The Shastansha Yantra The Unnatasha Yantra The Narivalaya Uttar Gola Yantra The Rama Yantra The functions, operation and coordinate measurements of these nine instruments vary. Some of them actually complement one another -- for example, the Digamsa Yantra was built to complement the Samrat Yantra because of the latter’s limitations in taking azimuthal and altitudinal readings of the stars in certain positions. There are basically four types of coordinate measurement systems to determine the positions of objects and celestial bodies within the celestial sphere, as listed in the table below. Location Base Circle Base Point Coordinates Earth Equator Celestial Sphere Celestial Sphere Celestial Sphere Where Greenwich Meridian Intersects the Equator Latitude and Longitude Horizon Due North Altitude and Azimuth Celestial Equator Spring Equinox Declination and Right Ascension Ecliptic Spring Equinox Latitude and Longitude The coordinate measurement systems that the instruments in the Jaipur observatory are related to may deviate slightly from the above four. For example, the Samrat Yantra and the Jai 26 J M
Prakash Yantra use the horizon as the base circle, but instead of using due north, the zenith is used as their base point instead. However, both the measurements of altitude and azimuth remain the same. The instruments at the Jaipur observatory can be generally categorized into three different coordinate measurement systems: 1) The Horizon and the Zenith. 2) The Equator and the Earth’s axis. 3) The Ecliptic and the Pole of the Ecliptic. Below is the table of the five different instruments and their respective coordinate measurement systems. Instruments (Yantras) System Based on Coordinates Measurements The Rama Horizon and Zenith. Altitude and Azimuth The Digamsa Horizon and Zenith. Altitude and Azimuth The Samrat Equator and Earth’s axis. Declination and Right Ascension The Rashi Valaya Ecliptic and Pole of the Ecliptic. Latitude and Longitude The Jai Prakash Horizon and Zenith, Polaris and the Celestial Equator. Altitude and Azimuth, Declination and Right Ascension Opinion of exactly which instruments were built during Jai Singh’s time differs. In 1785, Josef Tieffenthaler, a Jesuit missionary who travelled to India, recorded his observations of the Jantar Mantar. Since before that no independent records had been made, significant issues remain as to which of the masonry instruments had been built by Jai Singh and which were the ones constructed after his reign. Out of these uncertainties, it emerges that at least three instruments have their design and construction attributed to Jai Singh: the Samrat Yantra (“Supreme Instrument”), the Ram Yantra (“Rama’s Instrument”) and the Jai Prakash Yantra (“Light of Jai”). The three are distinct in that 27 J M
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Page 4 and 5: C O N T E N T S INTRODUCTION SECTIO
Page 6 and 7: Introduction Clearly visible from a
Page 8 and 9: SECTION I 8 J M
Page 10 and 11: Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II It was
Page 12 and 13: e concluded that Jai Singh felt eve
Page 14 and 15: The Delhi Observatory It is intrigu
Page 16 and 17: To illustrate: the Rama Yantra at D
Page 18 and 19: the medium of Hindu tradition and l
Page 20 and 21: To strengthen his political power a
Page 22 and 23: The observatory of Jaipur, which wa
Page 24 and 25: Instrument Nomenclature and the Man
Page 28 and 29: they are described by Jai Singh to
Page 30 and 31: 44 meters and ascends to 27 meters.
Page 32 and 33: Every hour, the shadow on the gnomo
Page 34 and 35: measurements, especially taking int
Page 36 and 37: 36 J M
Page 38 and 39: Second Coordinates Measurement Syst
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Page 42 and 43: The Great Jai Prakash Yantra It was
Page 44 and 45: Limitations Although these inventio
Page 46 and 47: Brief Introduction The Rama Yantra
Page 48 and 49: Sidereal Application The procedures
Page 50 and 51: The Tangential Scale An interesting
Page 52 and 53: The main problem with the Rama Yant
Page 54 and 55: The Digamsa Yantra Introduction The
Page 56 and 57: Function The observer stands betwee
Page 58 and 59: The main cause for this breakage in
Page 60 and 61: night when the sun goes below the h
Page 62 and 63: The Other Observatories Jai Singh b
Page 64 and 65: ENDNOTE One of the main obstacles t
Page 66: test page 66 J M

Jantar Mantar: The Science of Indian Conjecture

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