My story is a story of bringing the stars down to Earth.
I lived more than three centuries ago,
in a region called Amber,
in what is now known as India.
From the age of 13,
I led my people
and ruled in my country.
All of us had a deep connection to the stars,
but as the Maharaja,
I also had the privilege and luxury of studying the sky.
My name is Jai Singh.
I always admired the order and predictability of the heavens.
Welcome to the Ram Yantra,
one of my instruments for observing the sky.
Here, over many long nights,
I contemplated the heavens
and delighted in the slow choreography of the stars.
The chaos that reigned in my country was in stark contrast to the purity
and consistency of the Cosmos.
Could I use my skills of predicting the positions of the stars,
to master time and regulate society?
My people would benefit from the order this would bring to their lives.
I read books from India and Egypt,
from Arabia and Europe,
about geometry and astronomy.
I learned to calculate the locations of stars and planets,
but I noticed discrepancies.
The mathematics didn't always match my observations.
Most astronomical devices of my time were not precise enough,
too small and made from metal...
which expands with the heat of the day
and contracts in the cold of the night.
I began to imagine new tools...
What if astronomers could be inside large instruments to
make more precise observations?
And what if these huge observatories
were made of sandstone and plaster instead of metal?
I drew the plans myself.
To fulfill my dream of perfection,
and to achieve an accuracy unheard of at that time,
observations had to be made at multiple longitudes.
I built Observatories in Ujjain,
Mathura,
Varanasi,
Delhi,
and Jaipur.
I want to tell you about two special instruments in Jaipur.
The Samrat Yantra is known as the "King of Instruments".
With a height of 22 meters,
it is the biggest sundial in the world.
Its architecture points North,
perfectly aligned with Earth's axis.
As Earth rotates,
the shadow of the gnomon tower moves across the dial.
With this instrument,
we can measure time with a precision of two seconds.
The fine engravings allow anyone to read the time,
because my observatories are accessible to all.
At the Jai Prakash Yantra,
we record the position of the Sun by day
and measure the position of the stars by night.
Each inverted dome represents one half of the celestial vault.
Individually,
the instruments measured time and space,
and together
they reveal the movement of the stars with unprecedented precision.
The results of these observations can be used by my people to fix important dates
such as harvests and religious festivals.
My passion for the stars has helped bring harmony to my country.
I have fulfilled my dream to bring the perfection of the heavens down to Earth.
I invite you to visit my observatories,
which still stand after 300 years.
You can still read the time
and contemplate the order of the heavens.