Tag Archives: New Delhi
DAILY PHOTO: Tree Scene at Pracheen Hanuman Mandir
DAILY PHOTO: Jantar Mantar, New Delhi
The Jantar Mantar are astronomical clocks / calendars. Five of them were built in early 18th century India by order of Maharaja Jai Singh II. The others are in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain, and Mathura. The one at Jaipur is said to be the most impressive, and I can attest that it’s more impressive than the complex in Delhi. However, I’ve only visited the two. What we read of the Varanasi one didn’t make it sound worth the trip, even though we were in the area of it. (It’s atop one of the buildings near the main ghat.) I haven’t been to the other two cities, but I’ve heard that not all of the Jantar Mantar remain intact, so they may just be ruins.
When we were visiting the location in Jaipur, a guide asked: “Do you believe in these things, astrology and astronomy?”
To which the natural response is: “That’s like asking whether I believe in ghosts and gravity.”
At any rate, if you are into science these sites are worth your time.
DAILY PHOTO: India Gate
The India Gate honors 70,000 Indians who died during World War I fighting on behalf of the United Kingdom. Beneath the arch is India’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
It’s India’s answer to the Arc de Triomphe, and it sits at the opposite end of the Rajpath from the President’s house, i.e. the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Like the President’s house, the Gate was designed by Edwin Lutyens, a famous British architect.
The India Gate is among the must-see sights for visitors to New Delhi.