Description: Between 1727 and 1734 Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur constructed an astronomical observatory, in Jairpur, the capital of the federal state Rhajasthan in west central India. The observatory, or "Jantar Mantars" as they are commonly known, incorporate multiple buildings of unique form, each with a specialised function for astronomical measurement.
Located about 250 meters south of Connaught Place, the Jantar Mantar Observatory (Sanskrit; translated as "Magical Device"), contains six instruments. The most important or the 'Supreme Instrument' in Jantar Mantar is the Samrat-Yantra, the huge sundial. It is an 'equinoctial dial' or 'equal hour' sundial, consisting of a triangular gnomon with the hypotenuse parallel to the earth's axis. On the either side of the gnomon is a quadrant of a circle parallel to the plane of the equator.
The observatory is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and is a protected monument under the ASI Act. The gardens that surround the instruments have seasonal flowers and lawns, where visitors can sit.
Height above sea level: 212 metres
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