Jantar Mantar observatories as teaching laboratories for positional astronomy

Abstract

The four extant Jantar Mantar observatories at Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain,and Varanasi have tremendous potential as teaching laboratories of positional astronomy. They could be utilised in this direction in their current state, but this possibility would be considerably enhanced when all the necessary restorations are undertaken, interpretation centers are in place at all the observatories, and there is a continuous presence of astronomy educators, amateur astronomers, and students undertaking observations with these intriguing and user-friendly instruments. Student usage and calibration of the instruments at the Delhi observatory in particular, where the markings are mostly absent from every instrument, has allowed a greater appreciation of the possible construction details of these gigantic instruments. Templates for restoration and also for continuous maintenance of the instruments, are emerging from these efforts.