Monuments: Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur — RPSC 2024 Direct Question

RPSC Mains 2024 asked: "Comment on Samrat Yantra of Jantar Mantar, Jaipur."

Jantar Mantar ("calculating instrument") was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II between 1727 and 1734 CE. Jai Singh II studied Sanskrit, Persian, and European astronomical texts — including tables of de La Hire (French) and Ulugh Beg (Timurid). He built five observatories total: Jaipur, Delhi, Varanasi, Ujjain, and Mathura. The Jaipur observatory is the largest and best-preserved; inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

The 19 astronomical instruments:

Instrument	Function
Samrat Yantra	Sundial + equinoctial; time-telling to 2-second accuracy
Jai Prakash Yantra	Maps the sky; verifies positions of celestial bodies; confirms readings of other instruments
Ram Yantra	Measures altitude and azimuth of celestial bodies
Rashivalaya Yantra	12 instruments, one for each zodiac sign; determines ecliptic coordinates
Digamsha Yantra	Measures azimuth (horizontal direction) of rising and setting of sun
Dakshinobhitti Yantra	Meridian wall; measures meridian transit of celestial bodies

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination dossier, 2010; ASI Jantar Mantar Conservation Records

Samrat Yantra — RPSC 2024 Direct Question

The Samrat Yantra ("Supreme Instrument") is the world's largest sundial at 27 metres (88.5 feet) high.

How it works:

• Gnomon: A right-angle masonry triangle inclined at 26°55' N (Jaipur's latitude) — hypotenuse parallel to Earth's axis
• Two quadrant arcs: Each 15 metres in radius, with time graduations on either side of the gnomon
• Shadow moves at ~1 mm per second at noon — time readable to 2-second accuracy, surpassing contemporary European pendulum clocks
• Large size was deliberate: Jai Singh II found small instruments inaccurate; bigger size reduces relative measurement error

Jai Prakash Yantra

• Two hemispherical bowls set into the ground with crosswires and graduations
• Sky mapped onto the concave surface; observer walks into the bowl for direct stellar readings
• The most complex instrument in the Jantar Mantar complex

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Hawa Mahal ("Palace of Winds") was built in 1799 CE by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh — a poet-king who wrote under the pen name "Brijnidhi" and was a devotee of Lord Krishna.

Key Facts

• Architect: Lal Chand Ustad
• Design: Resembles the crown (mukut) of Lord Krishna; honeycomb facade with 953 jharokhas gives a beehive appearance
• Function: Allowed royal purdah women to observe street processions (Teej, Gangaur, Holi) unseen — porous screens created a venturi wind-cooling effect
• Structure: Five storeys; only 1 room deep behind the ornate facade; built in red and pink sandstone
• Height: 15 metres — taller than its widest storey, an unusual structural achievement
• Current affairs: During Earth Hour 2026 (28 March), Hawa Mahal was one of two specifically named Rajasthan landmarks in the national lights-off observance (alongside India Gate)

Step-Wells (Baolis/Vav) — An Architectural Tradition

Stepwells are a uniquely South Asian architectural form for water storage and community gathering. Rajasthan has over 1,000 historic stepwells.

Most Significant Stepwells

• Chand Baori, Abhaneri (Dausa district, 9th c. CE): Built by King Chanda (Nikumbha dynasty); 13 storeys deep; 3,500+ zigzag steps; perfectly geometric; considered the deepest and most beautiful stepwell in the world
• Raniji ki Baori, Bundi (1699 CE): Built by Rani Nathavatiji; elegant pillared galleries; Shiva iconography
• Neemrana Baori, Alwar (15th c.): Multi-storeyed; defensive architecture combined with water storage

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