Dongla near Ujjain to Become Pilgrimage for Astronomers with New 'Jantar Mantar'
The city of Ujjain, renowned for Lord Mahakal, is now set to become a pilgrimage site for astronomers. In Dongla village near Ujjain, India’s sixth astronomical observatory is being completed. On June 21 each year, at exactly 12:28 PM, the sun's rays fall so vertically here that no shadow is formed — a phenomenon known as the "Zero Shadow Point" in astronomy.
Because of this astronomical significance, Dongla is being developed as India’s new time reference point. Astronomers, calendar experts, scientists, and students from across the country gather here to calculate precise time and dates used in Indian almanacs.
Spread over 50 bighas, the Varahamihir Astronomical Observatory is being constructed here. After Jaipur, Delhi, Varanasi, Ujjain, and Mathura, Dongla is now being termed as the sixth Jantar Mantar of India. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav will inaugurate the site on Saturday, June 21.
State’s Longest Telescope Installed
A 20-inch diameter PlaneWave telescope has been installed, capable of observing celestial bodies from the solar system to distant stars. This is the longest telescope in Madhya Pradesh.
Center for Research, Education, and Astrology
A modern 200-seat auditorium has been established here. Inspired by thinker Moropant Pingale, Saraswati Vidya Mandir school is teaching astronomy from the primary level.
Discovery Since 1972 — Now Global Attention
In 1972, Padma Shri Dr. Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar discovered that the Tropic of Cancer and the traditional Indian Prime Meridian had shifted toward Dongla. He confirmed it using satellite images from the Astronomical Society of Bangalore and marked Dongla as a new astronomical point in 1985.
Later, efforts by his students, Moropant Pingale, and Suresh Soni led to Dongla being developed as a scientific and spiritual center. Soon, a Karkarajeshwar temple and helipad will also be constructed here. A Nakshatra garden is also in development, aiming to make Dongla a center for both astronomy and spirituality.
Dongla has now become the standard reference center for India’s national calendar. Celestial positions, festivals, and almanacs like 'Kalanirnay' rely on the Ujjain Meridian calculated from here.
Five Traditional Instruments for Celestial Studies
This observatory blends ancient instruments with modern telescopes:
- Shanku Yantra: Rod-shaped device to determine time and latitude via sun’s shadow.
- Bhitti Yantra: Wall-aligned instrument to measure sun and moon’s altitude.
- Samrat Yantra: Large triangular sundial to indicate solar time.
- Nadi Valaya Yantra: Device to measure direction and motion of planets.
- Bhaskar Yantra: Spherical instrument to show Earth's tilt and pole star's position.