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Young World
Where time stands still...
Text and pictures by
RABINDRA SAMEERAN
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How would you know the time if there were no clocks? Would the sun be of any help?
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The Mishra Yantra... in New Delhi.
Sawai Jai Singh is the brain behind the Jantar Mantar and two other observatories at Ujjain and Varanasi. He observed several cosmic movements for seven years and applied his extensive knowledge of astronomy to create Samrat Yantra, Jai Prakash Yantra and Ram Yantra.
Samrat Yantra was built in 1724, and is a large right-angled triangular edifice. Flanked by two quadrants , it reveals local time, Indian Standard Time, duration of day-night, location of Pole Star and meridian pass time. The Jai Prakash Yantra located next to Samrat Yantra comprises two complementary hemispheres.
A view of the Jantar Mantar.
Dedicated to Maharaja Ram Singh, the Ram Yantra observes the altitude and azimuth of the sun. Divided into two circular walls, the shadows of the central pillar falling on the rim, move with the sun.
Of particular interest is the Niyat Chakra which reveals the international time of noon at Notkey (Japan), Sartichew (Pic Islands), Zurich (Switzerland) and Greenwich (England) in relation to local Delhi time of 6.52 a.m., 7.24 a.m., 4.36 p.m. and 5.08 p.m. respectively.
The Ram Yantra,Jaipur... with moon and sun calendars.
Like many other monuments of national importance, the Jantar Mantar too was subjected to brutal plundering by the Jats led by Jaswant Singh. Restoration work commenced after five decades with the visit of Von Orlich in 1843. And then in 1910, Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh requested noted astronomer Pandit Gokul Chand to undertake comprehensive restoration.
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