Ganita Bharati
Published in Association with Bulletin of The Indian Society for History of Mathematics
Current Volume: 45 (2023 )
ISSN: 0970-0307
Periodicity: Half-Yearly
Month(s) of Publication: June & December
Subject: Mathematics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/GB
Online Access is Free for Life Member
Sawai Jai Singh’s Efforts to Revive Astronomy
By : Virendra N Sharma
Page No: 109-125
Abstract
The paper reviews Sawai Jai Singh’s (1688-1743) efforts to revive astronomy in his domain. For this reviving, he erected observatories, designed instruments of masonry and stone, assembled a team of astronomers of different schools of astronomy such as the Hindu, Islamic and European, and finally sent a fact finding scientific delegation to Europe. Jai Singh did not succeed in his efforts. The paper explains that poor communications of his times and a complex interaction of intellectual stagnation, religious taboos, theological beliefs, national rivalries and simple human failings were responsible for his failure.