Jantar Mantar Royal Observatory       It looks like an adventure playground and maybe it is, the personal playground of Jai Singh where he indulged his passion for astronomy and astrology between which he made no distinction

Rasivalaya Yantra. A group of twelve instruments corresponding to the signs of the zodiac.  Their purpose is to determine the celestial latitude and longitude

Nadivalaya Yantra a vertical sundial

Follows the sun between the northern and southern hemispheres.  From March 21st to September 23rd the sun is in the Northern hemisphere and from September to March in the Southern.  When one side of the instrument is in the sun the other identical side is in shadow.

It can also be used to ascertain International Standard Time 

Jai Prakash Yantra

The most accurate of Jai Singh's instruments and the one which was used to verify the readings and calculations of all the others and make adjustments if necessary

 Calculates Jaipur time.  Before Indian Standard Time each town operated on its own time, accurate but out of step with other towns

The gnomon stands 90' tall and has many windows to prevent storm  damage.  It is aligned north south and rises at an angle of 27 degrees.  As Jaipur is 27 degrees north, the gnomon points toward the celestial pole.

At 6am the shadow of the gnomon falls on the top of the western quadrant some 50' away  As the sun raises higher it descends along the arc of the quadrant, until noon when time stands still.  But only momentarily, then the shadow begins it's climb of the eastern quadrant, until 6pm

Steps beside the arc of the quadrants enable the observer to climb up to take precise readings. The edge of the quadrants are graduated in hours, minutes and seconds.  Each minute being divided into 30 parts, making it accurate to within 2 seconds.  It is even possible to tell the time at night by observing the position of a star from one of the quadrants and moving until the star touches to top of the gnomon

 11 km north of Jaipur, dates from 1592 when Amer was the capital of Jaipur state.   It and the Jalgarth Fort form one complex as they are joined by subterranean passages enabling the royal family and their household to escape to the more secure Jalgarth.   It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the group Hill Forts of Rajasthan

Man on a bamboo platform suspended at a dizzying height  painstakingly brushing a solution on to the wall

The main entrance, Surajpol, leads to Jaleb Chowk the main courtyard where returning armies were welcomed home

Sunday is a lovely day to visit the Fort as it is thronged with Indian families and school parties enjoying a day out

The pavilion in the women's quarters.  Around its outside are metal rings for the attachment of curtains

Beautiful mirrored ceiling and wall panels made of foil and covered with glass.  At night it is said to have twinkled in the candle light 

 Kali Temple's silver doors.  Here Maharaja Man Singh prayed for victory in battle.    Prior to 1980 a goat was sacrificed here every day for 400 years

The Kesar Kyari (saffron garden) lies in the center of the man made Maotha Lake.  Laid out like a Persian carpet the fragrance of the crocus saffron planted here would waft into the palace above