The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh c15.3

c15.3

These points have been illustrated in the foregoing chapters, which also have indicated, incidentally, the sources from which Jai Singh obtained his astronomical notions and inspiration for his methods. There is not the slightest doubt as to the main influence that directed his activities—it was that of the Muslim astronomers of the type of Ulugh Beg; but it is still popularly supposed that Jai Singh's work was, principally, if not wholly, of Hindu origin, and previous writers have helped to strengthen the notion. Sir William Jones was one of the first to give this impression: "The Sanskrit work," he says,¹ "from which we might expect the most ample and important information, is entitled *Chetradersa* or a view of geometrical knowledge, and was compiled in a very large volume by order of the illustrious JAYA SINGHA, comprising all that remains on that science in the sacred language of India." At considerable trouble and expense this work was published by the Bombay Government, and it turned out to be a Sanskrit translation of Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī's edition of Euclid's *Elements*. Hunter was also misleading in a negative way, and more recently Garrett's (otherwise most excellent) book is somewhat remarkably wrong on historical matters. It practically makes Jai Singh the author of the *Almagest*, and the Hindus the inventors of the astrolabe; and generally gives the impression that Jai Singh's work was wholly of Hindu origin. "He revived Hindu astronomy," it tells us, "and gave such an impetus to its study, as had not been known in India since the time of Brahmagupta, in the seventh century."²