Interpretation centre to come up at Jantar Mantar

Do you know that Jantar Mantar, built in the 18th century, still functions as an astronomical observatory?

Do you know that Jantar Mantar, built in the 18th century, still functions as an astronomical observatory?

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Do you know you can take accurate readings from the masonry instruments at the medieval site located on Parliament Street?

Soon, an interpretation centre coming up at the observatory comprising various masonry-built astronomical instruments, will give you an in-depth knowledge on this.

The Jantar Mantar (yantra for instrument and mantra for formula) is a set of masonry instruments to form an observatory created by Maharaja Sawai Jaisingh II of Jaipur.

Through the astronomical laboratory, people can obtain accurate observations through these instruments.

"We will provide the infrastructure but the interpretation centre will be run by a private party under the scheme of National Culture Fund sponsorship," said Daljeet Singh, Delhi circle chief, ASI.

"The interpretation centre can explain the observatory better. It can help understand the context better, when it was built, its relation with the surroundings etc," said a conservation architect.

ASI's current office at the site will be turned into the interpretation centre, while a new porta-cabin structure (pre-fabricated structure) would act as the new site office.

"The work is going on," Singh added.