From stars to streets: The history of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi

From stars to streets: The history of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi left The Jantar Mantar, ca. 1790 by Thomas Daniell Special Arrangement https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/jyo27e/article71583346.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/The%20Jantar%20Mantar%20ca.%201790%20by%20Thomas%20Daniell.jpg Historian Anoushka Jain traces the history of Delhi’s most talked about monument, and how it gained its place as a venue for protest In January 2026, I visited Jantar Mantar, the open observatory in Delhi. It is a quaint place, with odd-looking structures decorating the complex. Most visitors to this ticketed monument are tourists from outside Delhi and it draws only a few thousands. Yet this monument, which most people skip on their itinerary, becomes one of the most Google-searched monuments in Delhi whenever there is political unrest. As crowds have been swelling at Jantar Mantar over the past few weeks, demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, a recent update has de-notified Jantar Mantar as the official protest site.