From the pyramids of Egypt to the standing stones of Stonehenge and the Bighorn Medicine Wheel, man has always studied the heavens. This astronomical observatory in west central India, however, is a real curiosity. Jantar Mantar is the largest and best preserved of five similar ensembles built by Maharajah Jai Singh II between 1727 and 1734.
It consists of a series of 16 stone and marble structures which act as instruments for measuring time and the movement of celestial bodies. They were designed on a large scale for greater accuracy, and its Great Sundial, the world’s largest, can tell the time to within 2 seconds. Some of the instruments are still used to forecast how hot the summer months will be, as well as the expected duration and intensity of the monsoon.
The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur is a collection of 19 astronomical instruments built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, Rajasthan. The monument was completed in 1734. It features the world’s largest stone sundial, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is near City Palace and Hawa Mahal. Wikipedia