Before Telescopes: The Indian King Who Built Giant Concrete Calculators When we think of astronomical observatories, we usually picture sleek, metallic domes housing high-tech glass telescopes. Yet, tucked away in the bustling hearts of Indian cities like Delhi and Jaipur stand sprawling complexes of giant, coral-red and ochre-colored geometric structures. These are the Jantar Mantar observatories —places where architecture completely transcends form to become functional, naked-eye instruments capable of tracking the cosmos with staggering accuracy. At The Decoded Affairs , we look at how these 18th-century marvels connect India’s scientific history with its modern engineering heritage. The Visionary King: Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II Built between 1724 and 1735 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur, Jantar Mantar was born out of necessity. Jai Singh II , a passionate mathematician and astronomer, noticed that the existing brass astronomical tables used in his era were wildly inaccu...
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