On April 1st, Robert Langston asked:
>
>Can anyone refer me to sources that discuss the observatories of Jai
>Singh II?
>I'm particularly interested to know if the constructions are exclusively
>of Islamic astrolog/nomical design, or if there are Hindu influences or
>adopted systems- that is if there are significant differences at all.
Dear Robert,
G.R. Kaye published a very extensive study of the observatories in
1918: _The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh_ (Calcutta:
Archaelological Survey of India, New Imperial Series, Vol. XL, 1918). It
was reprinted by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1982, and may still
be available for sale from them; I bought my copy in 1996.
Kaye indicates that Singh was familiar with Arabic and European
astronomical writing as well as Hindu texts. "He attached himself to no
particular school but studied Hindu, Muslim and European methods
impartially." (p. 1)
Kaye indicates that the great masonry instruments for which the
observatories are famous were of Jai Singh's own devising. "His reasons
[for discarding brass instruments and building massive masonry ones in
their place] appeared to be, but were not altogether, sound....Hunter
states that Jai Singh himself devised the Samrat Yantra, the Jai Prakash
and the Ram Yantra These three instruments are indeed peculiar to Jai
Singh's observatories, and must be to some extent attributed to Jai Singh's
personal ingenuity." (p. 35).
Hope this helps,
Peter
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Peter Mayer [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Politics Department tel: +91-8-8303-5606/
+91-8-8303-5610
University of Adelaide fax: +91-8-8303-3446
Adelaide, SA 5005
Australia
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