Description
A sundial at the Jantar Mantar at Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. This particular instrument is aligned to the constellation Aries as shown by the ram symbol beneath the arch. The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, one of several collections built in India in the early eigtheenth century, many of which are of monumentsl size. The name is derived from jantar ("instrument"), and mantar ("formula" or "calculation"). The observatory consists of up to twenty major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking star locations as the earth orbits around the sun, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. Each is a fixed and 'focused' tool. They are also used to this day to calculate auspicious dates for life events such as weddings and births.