Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, is an astronomical observatory of 19 fixed instruments built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a keen astronomer, and completed in 1734. The instruments of Jantar Mantar are built of stone and brick on a huge scale to measure time, track the stars and predict eclipses, and they still work today. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

Jai Singh built five observatories in north India, at Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura, and the one in Jaipur is the largest and best preserved. He studied Persian, Islamic and European astronomy and believed larger instruments would give more accurate readings. Jantar Mantar was restored in the early 20th century, and astrologers still use it each year around Guru Purnima to forecast the monsoon.

What to see

• The Samrat Yantra, a sundial about 27 m tall whose shadow moves visibly, telling local time to within a few seconds
• The Jai Prakash Yantra, two hemispherical bowls that map the sky
• The Rashivalaya Yantras, twelve instruments, one for each sign of the zodiac
• The smaller Laghu Samrat Yantra, which reads time to about 20 seconds

What to wear

Jantar Mantar is an open-air site with little shade, so the practical clothing is a hat, sunscreen, breathable clothes and water. No dress code applies, though modest clothing suits the old city. Flat shoes help on the steps of the larger instruments. In the Pink City around it, you will see men in the white dhoti and kurta with a bright safa, and women in colourful lehenga-choli.

Local food to try

Jantar Mantar is surrounded by the food of the old city. Try pyaaz kachori and samosa at the stalls near Tripolia Bazaar, and a Rajasthani thali of dal baati churma, gatte ki sabzi and ker sangri for lunch. Lassi in clay cups is sold all over the walled city. Jaipur is largely vegetarian; halal meat is available in the Ramganj area.

Good to know

• Best from October to March; the sundial reads best on a bright morning
• Open daily, daytime hours
• Entry fee at the gate, higher for foreign visitors; composite tickets available
• Allow an hour, or 90 minutes with a guide
• Beside the City Palace in the walled city, 5 km from Jaipur Junction
• A local guide makes a big difference; climbing the instruments is not allowed

Nearby places

Jantar Mantar is next door to the City Palace, and Hawa Mahal is a five-minute walk. Nahargarh Fort rises on the ridge above.