The Jantar Mantar was conceived as a quest for discovering the mysteries of the Cosmos. The Jantar Mantar is a corruption of the Sanskrit word yantra mantra meaning instruments and formulae. It was built not only to verify astronomical observations made at Jaipur, but also to stimulate interest in astronomy, which had become enmeshed in theory, superstition and religious jargon. Following the style of an observatory at Samarkand, huge masonry instruments were built, keeping in mind the rules of astronomy, the position of the equator, latitudes and longitudes. The observatory at Jaipur has the samrat yantra, the jaiprakash yantra, ram yantra and the 'composite instrument' includes a sundial and a massive hemisphere on the northern wall.

India, in the early decades of the 18th century was a land to turmoil, the Mughal empire was collapsing, its chiefs were busy in internal quarrels, and the Marathas, Portuguese, British, French and Dutch were fighting for the over lordship of India's trade and political fortunes. In this age arose a brilliant star on India's political and intellectual horizon - Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, Rajput ruler of Amber, founder of Jaipur, a great builder and ruler and an exceptional astronomer.

Commissioned by Emperor Muhammad Shah, to correct the existing astronomical tables and fix planetary positions anew, Sawai Jai Singh-II, accomplished the task in seven years and for this task, built the first stone observatory in Delhi in 1724 and in Jaipur in 1728. Not only did the masonry instruments suit his purposes, they also satisfied his architectural instincts. Apart from being a permanent memorial to his genius, is secured for him a place along with such distinguished observatory builders like Prince Ulugh Beg, Tycho Brahe and John Flam steed.

The Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum is situated in the Chandra Mahal Palace, built by Sawai Jai Singh when he constructed his new capital at Jaipur in 1727. Divided into five comprehensive sections, the museum displays the ancestral collections of former maharajas - paintings, manuscripts, maps, carpets, textiles, costumes, weapons and decorative art objects depicting courtly life in Jaipur state between the 16th and 19th century.

In the Vastragar (the textile and costume gallery), fine Mughal brocades, embroideries, Patkas, Kashmiri wollen and Pashmina shawls, Sanganeri blockprints and Mashru from Gujarat jostle with royal costumes. Among the latter is an immense atamsukh worn by the 2.1 m tall Sawai Madho Singh in the 18th century.

There are other rare and interesting objects like the giant silver vessels, each weighing 3.5 quintals, especially made to contain Gangajal (Ganga water). The Guinness Book of Records lists these as the largest silver objects in the world. Among a fine collection of carpets is one from Heart which is more than 17 m long. The Silekhana, with its painted and mirrored ceiling, contains a large selection of weapons that include varieties of swords and daggers, some with delicately carved jade, ivory, crystal and horn handles and some enameled and encrusted with jewels.

A garden planned by Maharaja Ram Sigh in the 19th century as a famine relief project, this extensive park consists of a zoo,aviary, herbarium, museum and sports complex. An added attraction is the Albert Hall, designed by Sir sSwinton Jacob, a British architect who created palaces for many rulers in Rajasthan.

The Hall is home to an exquisite collection of sculptures, paintings, objects d’art, natural history specimens, an Egyptian mummy and a beautiful Persian carpet. Recently, the Rabindra Manch with an auditorium, a modern art gallery and an open-air theatre, has been added to promote cultural events.