Ujjain CITY at Crossroad of Space and Time

Ujjain, Crossroad of Space and Time
Brought to you by Dr Uday Dokras from these 2 excellent articles

Darshana (https://threader.app/thread/1276464421263425536)
Source: https://threader.app/thread/1276464421263425536)
Prime Meridian - UjjainUjjain is literally the crossroad of Space and Time in

India. This renowned and ancient city is famous for spiritual as well as
scientific reasons. It has stood, quite literally, at the very centre of the
development of Astronomy as a science, as well as an instrument of spiritual
knowledge & practice. It is the cradle of the Hindu science of astronomy &
Timekeeping & the principal seat of astronomical knowledge during its early
history. It occupied this position because@Sanjay_Dixitit is situated where
India’s ancient Prime Meridian and the Tropic of Cancer once crossed.One of
the earliest available texts on Indian astronomy, the Surya Siddhanta, is
dated to the 4th century CE. This ancient work explains with complete clarity
that the earth is a sphere.It describes many of the scientific methods used
for the determination of place & time with respect to India’s ancient Prime
1
Meridian. From the text it is clear these methods were already thousands of
yrs old at the time of its composition. Indicating the great age of India’s zero
longitude, or Prime Meridian, of Avanti, the ancient name for the historic city
of Ujjain 23°10’58”N & 75°46’38”E.A Prime Meridian is an imaginary line
drawn b/w the N & S Pole. A Prime Meridian is a meridian in a geographical
coordinatesystem at which longitude is defined to be 0°. Together, a prime
meridian and its antemeridian form a great circle. It is a zero point for both
time and geographical calculations. Today the internationally accepted Prime
Meridian runs through Greenwich, in England.In India this line always drawn
through Ujjain. This is stated in all ancient texts on astronomy. It is what
made Ujjain a very scared city. Dedicated especially to scared time. The
Jyotirlinga here dedicated to Mahakala -The great time. All Indian traditional
calendars &...All scared time is calculated through this line. It is also the
basis for all geographical calculations. Many of its temples are in some way
connected to Time & Space. In 18th century 1 of the still existing
observatories for astronomy was build by Maharaja jaysingh ।। in
1725.Known as vedshala or jantar mantar it consists of 13 architectural
astronomy instruments that measures many astronomical phenomena with
great accuracy. Some of them are-1. Smrat yantra2. Nidhi valaya yantra3.
Bhitti yantra4. Digansh yantra5. Shanku yantra Ptolemy shown the ancient
city of Ujjain, in the Greek as ozene. Sources-
ChidambaramhiddentreasurePuratattava@Bharathgyan (Source:
https://threader.app/thread/1276464421263425536)
posted in: Sharing the Ancient Wisdom, Temples, Wisdom of the Stars | 5
Ram Ghat in Ujjain. Photo Gyanendra

Singh Chau
2
Ujjain is literally the crossroad of Space and Time in India. This renowned and
ancient city is famous for spiritual as well as scientific reasons. It has stood,
quite literally, at the very centre of the development of astronomy as a
science, as well as an instrument of spiritual knowledge and practice. It is the
cradle of the Hindu science of astronomy and Timekeeping, and the principal
seat of astronomical knowledge during its early history. It occupied this
position because it is situated where India’s ancient Prime Meridian and the
Tropic of Cancer once crossed.
Prime Meridian
One of the earliest available texts on Indian astronomy, the Surya Siddhanta,
is dated to the 4th century CE. This ancient work explains with complete
clarity that the earth is a sphere. It describes many of the scientific methods
used for the determination of place and time with respect to India’s ancient
Prime Meridian. From the text it is clear these methods were already
thousands of years old at the time of its composition. Indicating the great
3
age of India’s zero longitude, or Prime Meridian, of Avanti, the ancient name
for the historic city of Ujjain 23°10’58”N & 75°46’38”E.
A Prime Meridian is an imaginary line drawn between the North and South
Pole. A Prime Meridian is a meridian in a geographical coordinate system at
which longitude is defined to be 0°. Together, a prime meridian and its
antemeridian form a great circle. It is a zero point for both time and
geographical calculations. Today the internationally accepted Prime Meridian
runs through Greenwich, in England.
In India this line was always drawn through Ujjain. This is stated in all ancient
texts on astronomy, as well as in the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana etc.
It is what made Ujjain a very sacred city. Dedicated especially to Sacred
Time. The main Shiva temple here is dedicated to Mahakala, Great Time. All
Indian traditional calendars and all sacred time is calculated from this line. It
is also the basis for geographical calculations.
Vedh Shala or
Jantar Mantar in Ujjain. Photo Bernard Gagnon
Ujjain
Because of its status as the centre for all astronomical and geodetical
calculations, Ujjain attracted many religious and scientific institutions. Many
4
of its temples are in some way connected to Time and Space. In the
18th century one of the still existing observatories for astronomy was build
here by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1725. Known as the Vedh Shala or Jantar
Mantar it consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments that measure
many astronomical phenomena with great accuracy.
Once in 12 years Ujjain is the location for one of India’s greatest religious
festivals. It is the Kumbhamela of Simhastha. Ujjain is one of the four places
where a drop of Amrita fell after the Samudra Manthana, the Churning of the
Cosmic Ocean by the Gods and Titans. When the Sun is in Mesha/Aries and
Jupiter in Simha/Leo the Amrita, Elixer of Life, materialises in the river
Kshipra. It is a very sacred time when a soul can purify itself. The last time
this festival was celebrated was in 2016.
5
Diagram of the earth’s tilt, Dennis Nilsson
Tropic of Cancer
There is another important astronomical line connected to Ujjain. But this is

kind of controversial. Traditionally the Tropic of Cancer is also thought to
pass through Ujjain, specifically through the temple known as Karkoteshwar,
located within the compound of the Harsiddhi Temple in Ujjain.
The Tropic of Cancer is the line of the most Northern position of the Sun is
his yearly course. From mid-winter till mid-summer the Sun’s course is north.
In India this is called Utarayana. Between mid-summer and mid-winter the
Sun moves south, called Dakshinaya. These are not real but apparent
movements caused by the tilt of the earth’s axis. It is the cause of the
seasons on our planet.
Here we run into a mystery, a challenge even. Because in actual physical

reality the Tropic of Cancer does not cross the Karkoteshvara temple in Ujjain
in our time. The Earth’s axial tilt (obliquity) is currently about 23.4°, and
therefore this line runs at the latitude of 23°26′13.4″.
Does this mean the ancient Indian astronomers made a big mistake? Or
could this apparent error be explained somehow.
I think it can be explained, but the explanation leads us right into another
mystery.
6
Graph of the oscillation of the earth
axial tilt. A cycle of approximately 41.000 years.
Oscilation of the Obliquity, a 41.000 year cycle
Because Earth’s obliquity oscillates between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees on a

41,000-year cycle (See illustration). At the moment the Tropic of Cancer is on
its way back South and will cross through Ujjain approximately in 4250 AD.
Last time the Tropic of Cancer crossed the site of Ujjain was some 20.000
years ago. Which leaves us with this mystery: did Ujjain already exist as an
astronomical centre in these remote times and was Indian astronomical
knowledge already so highly developed in what it considered pre-historic
times? When humanity is thought to have lived only as primitive hunter
gatherers?
Graph of the shift of the Tropics.
Did the sages of old actually observe the Tropic of Cancer when it was
crossing through Ujjain? Or is the identification of Ujjain as the crossing point
of Prime Meridian and Tropic of Summer Solstice the outcome of assumption
and error on the part of the ancient Indian astronomers?
7
The standard academic approach of this kind of anomalous data is to ignore
it as the outcome of errors from the part. Prehistoric people are assumed to
have been ignorant and kind of stupid. But there is a sea of evidence of the
contrary. Vedic texts and ritual are full of astronomical data and geometrical
knowledge in the form of symbolic codes, and as part of myth and ritual. The
Vedic rituals were ruled by a sophisticated calendar. And India can be proud
of a great number of astronomers and mathematicians who achieved
detailed understanding of these sciences in early historic times.
Our standard understanding of humanity’s prehistory is full of

preconceptions. Many of these are being challenged. Does the location of
Ujjain point to the existence of advanced astronomical knowledge in India in
those very far off times, some 20.000 years ago? That indeed would
challenge our conventional thinking. But is it impossible?

Ujjain CITY at Crossroad of Space and Time

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ujjain CITY at Crossroad of Space and Time

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ujjain CITY at Crossroad of Space and Time

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ujjain, Crossroad of Space and Time

Brought to you by Dr Uday Dokras from these 2 excellent articles

Prime Meridian - UjjainUjjain is literally the crossroad of Space and Time in

Ram Ghat in Ujjain. Photo Gyanendra

There is another important astronomical line connected to Ujjain. But this is

Here we run into a mystery, a challenge even. Because in actual physical

Oscilation of the Obliquity, a 41.000 year cycle

Because Earth’s obliquity oscillates between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees on a

Graph of the shift of the Tropics.

Our standard understanding of humanity’s prehistory is full of

You might also like