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the Jal Mahal . The ‘ water palace ’ sits in the middle of Man Sagar Lake and actually predates the city . At 325 years of age there ’ s little surprise that the waters of the lake are taking their toll on the palace , consider that the lower four floors of the palace are mostly underwater , the rising damp must be a seriously problem . Restoration work is a continued project for the Jal Mahal with archaeologists and architects perplexed by how such a construction was ever created on the lake floor in the first place . I ’ d suggest the dam wall which provides a great viewing area goes to some of the explanation .
With time running low we opt for a visit to the Jantar Mantar , another of India ’ s UNESCO World Heritage sites and one that doesn ’ t disappoint .
Built in 1734 by the founder of Jaipur , Sawai Jai Singh II , the Jantar Mantar is a scientific complex designed to measures the skies and the bodies within . Nineteen astronomical devices accurately measure the night sky , correctly monitoring the positions of stars , planets , and moons as accurately as anything today . It ’ s very name means ‘ calculate machine ’ and calculate it does , including the worlds largest sundial that is accurate to within a few seconds , it ’ s a profound experience to witness the suns movement by shadow , 1 millimetre per second or 6 centimetres per minute .
In contemporary times it ’ s said that the accuracy of such devices is far from scientific as the large nature of the constructions has caused movement and displacement , yet it is hard to ignore that over 300 years ago such science was being used .
With our visit over , the Golden Triangle is an area that left a delible mark . The history , the culture , the architecture , and the people , all will remain etched in our psyche prompting us to want more . The
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