Image by oceandesetoiles via Flickr

Location: Parliament Street, Connaught Place
Metro Station: Patel Chowk
Open: All days
Timings: Sunrise to Sunset
Entry Fee: 5 (Indians), 100
(foreigners)
Photography Charges: Nil (`25
for video filming)

Jantar Mantar is very popular among tourists and the people of Delhi. The structure is another great masterpiece of Indian architecture which shows the scientific acumen of ancient India. Jantar Manter is situated at Parliament Street, very close to Connaught Place. Jantar Mantar is also called Delhi Observatory. It is maintained by the Jaipur government because it was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur in 1710 A.D.
It is a remarkable structure which consists of fourteen geometric devices used for measuring time, forecasting weather changes, predicting behaviour of planets and finding extraterrestrial altitude. All these devices are fixed structures and point to a specific direction. The largest device or instrument is the Samrat Jantar which is 90 feet high and its shadow is plotted in such a manner so that is shows the exact time of the day. Any weather change or the onset of monsoons can be ascertained by the Hindu Chhatri, which is a small domed structure.

The whole structure is made of stone and marble with each of then having an engraved astronomical scale. Jantar Mantar finally got the status of a national monument in 1948. It has always attracted architects, historians and scientists from all over the world.

Maharaja Jai Singh was a fanatical astronomer himself who studied various works from Hindu, Muslim and European astronomy. He had the perception that the tables used by the pundits were deceptive and the actual planetary changes and predictions of eclipses would not have been possible through these measuring parameters. So he thought that he would find an improved and efficient means through which exact prediction could be made. It was his own inspiration and foresightedness that gave shape to such an instrument. He built other observatories at Jaipur, Ujjain, Benares and Mathura to have an exact calculation. It took almost seven years before the whole structure was fully operational because he wanted to be fully satisfied with the accuracy of the instruments at Jantar Mantar.

Some of the major instruments at Jantar Mantar are:

The Samrat Yantra ‘Prince of Dials’ (the largest device)
The Ram Yantra – two circular buildings
The Jai Prakash
The Misra Yantra (north-west to the Samrat Yantra)
Pillars on the southwest of Mishra Yantra used to measure the shortest and longest days of the year.
The Samrat Yantra measured the accurate time of the day. It also measured the declination of the sun which can be seen by the shadow moving around the structure.

The Jai Prakash shows the sun’s position at the time of equinox. There is a hole near the bottom of the structure which witnesses sunshine only once in a year that is on 21 march, called vernal eqinox.

Another important structure called the Ram Yantra, consists of two large buildings with open top. Both these two buildings form a complete device. The device is used to measure the altitude of stars which is equivalent to the latitude and the longitude on the earth.

To the north-west of the Prakash Yantra, there is a structure or instrument called Mishra Yantra. It consists of five instruments. Pillars on the southwest of Mishra Yantra are used to measure the shortest day (21 December) and the longest day (21 June) of the year.

It is no denying the fact that the structure does represent the scientific heritage of India, though not being used in the modern scientific research. Having said that, we must give accreditation to the Jantar Mantar for its scientific acumen which could have reaped more fruits had there been appropriate motivation and resource given for research and development.

Cathedral Church of the Redemption

http://www.theredemptionchurch.org/

• 1 Church Road North Avenue
  New Delhi India 110 001

• Category: Religious Sights
  Neighborhood: West Delhi/North-West Delhi

Situated to the east of Parliament House in New Delhi, the Cathedral Church of the Redemption was built in eight years and was completed in the year 1935. It was designed by architect, Henry Medd. Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy, was so impressed by its high curved arches and subtle domes that it came to be known as ‘Viceroy’s Church’.It’s a small St Paul’s Cathedral standing in its own grounds in a leafy street in New Delhi. The interior is perfectly English neo-classical, with dark wood panelling and suitably dim religious light. You can tell it was originally built to house the British Raj at prayer. It’s split into three language groups – on normal Sundays there’s an English eucharist at 8.00am, a Tamil one at 9.30, and a Hindi one at 11. The day I was there they were having a confirmation, so all three groups worshipped together at 9.00am.When you give it a quick look, the exterior of the church looks ordinary. It has simple red sandstone roofing that has a great degree of inclination. But once you enter the structure the magnificent interiors strike you.The church is built in coursed rubble masonry with split red sandstone. The church resembles the miniature (London’s) St Paul’s Cathedral and is inspired from Palladio’s Church of Il Redentore in Venice. Though the place cannot be called beautiful in the conventional sense, it has small recessed openings with tinted glass which soften the hard sunlight giving the interiors an ethereal glow. The spiritual aura of the church is by a group of angels that look down from the curved roof above the altar.Cathedral Church of New Delhi was built in such a manner that even in the extreme summers it remains cool and serene. The Church has beautifully curved high arches and delicate domes, which won the heart of even Lord Irwin, a Viceroy. Lord Irwin gifted an organ and a silver cross to the church, as gesture of thanks when he survived a near fatal accident in 1929. The Church, a witness to nearly eight decades of history, is a sanctuary of quiet meditation, prayer and generous giving. The interior of this Anglican Church has small recessed openings that filter the sunlight. It also has a fine organ as well as a striking stained glass window. The cathedral now belongs to the Church of North India.Also known as “Viceroy’s Church”, it is adorned tinted glass windows that lend it a mystical aura. Light streaming through the crescent windows and a group of angels looking down from the curved roof further enhance splendor of the Cathedral of The Sacred Heart. Tucked away from the bustle of New Delhi, in the quiet Church lane north of Jaipur Column and to the west of Parliament House at North Avenue, stands the Cathedral Church of the Redemption India.As you travel through the city, exploring the seven cities that make Delhi, stop by The Cathedral Church of the Redemption. You can soak in the quiet and relive the dedication of the determined men and women who built this church.The linear plain exteriors of the church are in contrast with the high rounded arches inside. The spiritual aura of the church is enhanced by the light streaming through its crescent windows and a group of angels that look down from the curved roof above the altar. Regular mass takes place at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption on Sunday mornings. Apart from this, the cathedral also hosts religious concerts on festivals such as Christmas and Easter.Cathedral Church of Redemption in Delhi, a part of the Church of North India (CNI), has a membership of over 600 communicant members from over 550 families. This extremely simple church was built on a design based by Henry Medd, a British born architect. It took around eight years to build the church, completed in the year 1933. . The style and architecture resembles that of the Free Church in Hampstead Garden Suburb. The church is marked by austere exteriors but magnificent interiors. The outer side of the church is designed with red sandstone roofing.The striking silver cross you see near the mass pedestal has been donated none other than Lord Irwin himself. He also donated a picture of Mary and infant Jesus, which can be seen in the eastern portion of this church. Lord Irwin is believed to have donated the picture to express his gratitude to God. It is claimed that he did it when he had a very narrow escape from the possible death, when an attempt was made to blow off his salon in the year 1929. The paneling has been done with hard dark wood which lends an earthy feeling. The linear plain exteriors of the church contrast highly with the high rounded arches inside. Besides regular mass on the Sunday morning, the cathedral hosts religious concerts on festivals such as Christmas and Easter every year. It has a personal choir of itself named the Capital City Minstrels. Catch any of concerts of choral music and carol singing on these religious occasions.

Special Event  or Annual Event and Festivals at Cathedral Church of Redemption Delhi:

Prayers are held in morning and evening every day. The church is attractively decorated during Christian festivals. Various cultural and social programmes are organized round the year. For details contact the local church authority. This very popular place hosts numerous religious gatherings and concerts like Easter and Christmas every year. Coir with the name Capital City Minstrels performs concerts and other musical concerts on the occasion of famous festivals or religious repute in the Delhi Cathedral Church of the Redemption.Prayers are organized in morning and evening every day. The church is beautifully decorated on the Christian festivals. Apart from the main festivals, other cultural and social programs are also organized in the Church throughout the year

We also offer discounts at various places in Delhi so if you are planning to visit a place or are looking for some discounts on your visit, Do let us know, we would love to get discount at your favorite place. 9582929295/9250183849 or requirement@delhiinformer.com

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