The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh c17.6

c17.6

82. The actual points of contact between Jai Singh's astronomical work and that of his predecessors and contemporaries have been generally indicated. Jai Singh himself was a Hindu and had Hindu assistants, the most notable being Jagannāth, who, however, it seems, was employed, because of his knowledge of Arabic—a somewhat unusual qualification among the Pandits of the day.¹ He refers to one Hindu astronomer by name (see page 11), who was, however, renowned because of his knowledge of Greek methods. Jai Singh was, no doubt, well acquainted with the works of the Hindu astronomers, but he does not seem to have made much direct use of them.