Re: Sundials of India

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 12:02:39 -0800

 The oldest Indian timekeeping method I have found is based on the "ghati", 1/60 day or 24 min.  It was generally measured with a basin of water into which a bowl with a small hole was set.  The time for the bowl to fill with water and sink to the bottom of the basin was a ghati.  This method was used at least as far back as the fifth century.

The definitive work in this area is "The Archaic and the Exotic.  Studies in the History of Indian Astronomical Instruments", Sreeeramula Rajeswara Sarma, Manohar (2008).  I believe Raja Sarma lives in Duesseldorf.
 
 There are several surviving Sanskrit astrolabes and sundials using ghatis and they look very similar to Persian astrolabes except for the time scale.  There are many detailed differences also.

Best regards,

Jim
 
James E. Morrison
 
On 11/30/14, Darek Oczki<[email protected]> wrote:
 
Hello All

I am very much interested in ancient India. Let's call it Vedic times. Does anyone here have any knowledge about time measuring of that period? And I do not mean Jantar Mantar observatories but rather times much much prior to that. Someone just sent me this Youtube video about a sundial of Konark temple. I wonder it there is any real science behind what they say.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9RF9lLBIMs

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Best regards
Darek Oczki
52N 21E
Warsaw, Poland

GNOMONIKA.pl
Sundials in Poland
http://gnomonika.pl
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