jantar-mantar

[Dr Anthony P Stone]

On 28 Sep 2000, Rajesh Kochhar wrote:

> Anand M Sharan  says ,"He [Jaisingh}called his sundial-Jantar Manta".
> What is the basis of this statement. Where is it written or implied that =
> the name Jantar Mantar was used by Jaisingh himself.
> Rajesh Kochhar

All Jai Singh's instruments have names, and none is called Jantar-Mantar.
Jantar-Mantar in this context means 'observatory'.

Whether Jai Singh used 'Jantar-Mantar' to refer to any of his observatories will
depend on the original documents.

There is a lot of information in the book:

M F Soonawala, 'Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaiapur and his observatories',
Jaipur Astronomical Society, Jaipur, n.d. [Foreword & Preface dated 1952].
Stated to be "Available from Vani Mandir, Sawai Man Singh Highway, Jaipur".

This book mentions that Jai Sing consulted with European astronomers, who came
to him by request.

On 28 Sep 2000, Robert Langston wrote:

> The astrological parks created by Jaisingh are quite beautiful.
> As I understand so far, the various instruments constructed by Jaisigh at
> Delhi, Jaipur, and Benares employed eminent astrologers of his time from
> both Hindu and Islamic schools. The primary concept he was going for was
> bigger is better -or at least more accurate.  Apparently, he either
> disregarded or was unaware of advances in  the West when these were made.
> Can any one shed light on this?(excuse the pun).

Tony Stone