THIS 80-minute drive from Indore will take you closer to the stars!

Bored of the usual work-from-home weekdays and ‘Netflix & chill’ weekends? Yeah, we understand! So if you are looking for a hatke plan to sort your boredom, we have got you covered! Take an 80-minute drive from Indore to Jantar Mantar in Ujjain and learn about the ways by which revolutions and positions of celestial bodies were calculated in the bygone age. Built in 1725, this is the only ancient observatory in India where research work is still carried on to this day. Read on to get a free virtual tour of this astronomical monument before you plan your visit.

History & purpose of Jantar Mantar

Maharaja of Amber (modern-day Rajasthan), Sawai Jai Singh II, established five astronomical observatories in his native territory between 1724 and 1727. Owing to his passion for mathematics and astronomy, Jai Singh adapted and added to the designs of earlier sight-based observatories to establish a unique structure for astronomical measurement.

Jantar Mantar, also known as Vedh Shala, consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments and was built in the year 1725, in Ujjain. The name Jantar Mantar comes from two words-‘Yantra’ and ‘Mantra‘, which together mean ‘a calculation instrument’. The primary purpose behind the construction of Jantar Mantar was to illustrate and compile the data collected by astronomical calculations, the results of which have helped in the study of the movements of the sun, planets and their moons.

Discover the ‘Greenwich of India’!

BTW did you know? Before Greenwich was accepted as the prime meridian universally, Ujjain was considered as the central meridian for time in India. Ujjain, situated at a distance of 56 km from Indore, is geographically placed at the precise spot where zero meridian of longitude and the Tropic of Cancer meet, which is why it is known as the ‘Greenwich of India’. One can see the location of Ujjain pinpointed on the Tropic of Cancer, on a large globe outside Jantar Mantar.

Get a glimpse of stars at Taramandal

The observatory houses a hybrid planetarium with a 12-metre dome and 125 seats, on its premise. Famously known as Taramandal, this planetarium showcases 20 and 30-minute shows on planets, stars, constellations and galaxies! The programmes are available at an interval of 30 minutes for a minimum of 10 people at least. One has to buy the tickets for the show from the ticket counter separately, as it is not included in the entry fee.

List of instruments at Jantar Mantar

Knock Knock

In 1923, the Ujjain Observatory, now known as Government Jiwaji Observatory, was renovated by Maharaja Madhav Rao Scindia of Gwalior. With astronomical studies still being conducted on site, this observatory publishes an ephemeris and a journal, recording the daily speed and position of the planets, every year.

Location: Government Jiwaji Observatory, Chintaman Road, Jabsinghpura, Ujjain

Timing: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Everyday