Jantar Mantar Review

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Jantar Mantar

  • Address: Tripoliya Bazaar, near entrance to City Palace, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Fodor's Review:

Jai Singh II was well aware of European developments in the field of astronomy, and wanted to create the world's finest observatories. He supervised the design and construction of five remarkable facilities in northern India, of which this is the largest and best preserved. Built in 1726 of masonry, marble, and brass, it's equipped with solar instruments called yantras, which look like large, abstract sculptures, and are remarkably precise in measuring celestial data. Such accuracy was desired for creating astrological predictions. If you don't have a guide with you, try to recruit one to explain how these devices work, as they're fascinating and, for nonscientists, somewhat complicated. Avoid the observatory at noon, as it can be very hot.

  • Cost: Observatory Rs. 10, camera fee Rs. 50, video-camera fee Rs. 100
  • Open: Daily 9-4:30
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