Cosmic Architecture in India : The Astronomical Monuments of Maharaja Jai Singh II/Andreas Volwahsen. Ahmedabad, Mapin, 2001, 158 p., figs., ISBN 81-85822-87-5.

Contents: Introduction. I. Precursors and models : 1. Egypt. 2. Stonehenge. 3. Uaxactun, Guatemala, before AD 150. 4. Copan, Honduras, before AD 900. 5. Chichen Itza, Mexico, 10th century AD. 6. Rome. 7. Rei, AD 994. 8. Maragha, 13th century AD. 9. Samarkand, 1417. 10. Uraniborg, c. 1580. 11. Stjerneborg, 1548. 12. Peking, 13th-17th century. II. Maharaja Jai Singh II and his observatories : II.i. The observatory in the palace of Jaipur. 1. The Rama Yantra. 2. The Digamsa Yantra. 3. The Samrat Yantra. 4. The Shastansha Yantra. 5. The Dakshino Bhitti Yantra. 6. The Narivalaya Uttar Gola Yantra. 7. The Small Jai Prakash Yantra. 8. The Great Jai Praksh Yantras. 9. The Unnatansha Yantra. 10. The Rashi Valaya Yantras. 11. History of the Jaipur observatory. II.ii. The instruments of the Delhi observatory : 1. The Great Samrat Yantra. 2. The Jai Praksh Yantras. 3. The Rama Yantras. 4. The Mishra Yantra. II. iii. The observatory in Benares. II.iv. The Observatory in Ujjain. II.V. The observatory in Mathura. Plans 1 : The observatory of Jai Singh in Jaipur. III. A new atempt at interpretation. 1. The town of Jaipur. 2. The Mandala as a yantra. 3. The ground plan. 4. The individual building. IV. Architectural models. 1. Model of the Great Samrat Yantra. 2. Models of the Small Samrat Yantra. 3. Models of the Narivalaya Uttar Gola. 4. Model of the Rashi Valaya Yantras. 5. Model of a Rama Yantra. 6. Model of the Dakshino Bhitti Yantra. 7. Models of the Jai Prakash Yantras. 8. Model of the Unnatansha Yantra. 9. Model of the Digamsa Tantra. V. Construction methods : 1. Construction method for the Great Rama Yantras. 2. Bonding the stone. 3. Staircases. 3. Wages and building costs. 3. The keel arch. 4. Stone and masonry forms. Plans 2: The observatories of Jai Singh in Benares and Delhi. Glossary. Bibliography. Photographic credits.

"The observatories built in the eighteenth century by the Indian Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur (1686-1743) are little understood wonders of architecture and science. Occasionally discovered by tourists the observatories are monuments to an extraordinary man whose passion for mapping the skies was unique in India.

"Situated in Delhi, Jaipur, Benares, Ujjain and Mathura, these buildings show no similarities with contemporary Mogul architecture—indeed their simple geometrical forms inspired Le Corbusier in his designs for Chandigarh. So what was the real significance of these observatories?

"In a fascinating investigation Andreas Volwahsen reveals how Hindu priests and mystics as well as Indian mandala theory were the main influences on Jai Singh’s architectural project. Rather than the accurate measurement of the heavens—for which the observatories were in any case useless—the Maharaja’s aim was to create a representation of his own earthly powers, and ultimately display his own superior knowledge.

"Fully illustrated with colour photographs, technical drawings and contextual illustrations this book is a major contribution to the understanding of these mysterious buildings and to the history of astronomical science. Written in an accessible style it will also be of interest to the general reader and to visitors to the sites in India.

"Andreas Volwahsen wrote his PhD on Jai Singh’s observatories and in doing so prepared the first complete survey of all the instruments. He recently returned to the topic in order to present Jai Singh’s architecture as an outstanding example of man’s continuing effort to understand and represent the rules of the universe." (jacket).