Delhi’s Jantar Mantar was the first among the five to be built in 1721. Located on Parliament Street, it originally featured several astronomical instruments used to observe the movement of celestial bodies and calculate calendars. It remains a significant part of Delhi’s heritage monuments.
Today, Delhi’s Jantar Mantar is recongised as a peaceful protest site but this was not the scene earlier. How it evolved is an interesting story.
Until the early 1990s, large political rallies were usually held at the Boat Club lawns. But after massive farmer protests in 1988 and growing security concerns, authorities stopped allowing large gatherings there.
Around 1993, Jantar Mantar Road gradually became the designated location for demonstration due to its strategic location. Over the years, the site has witnessed some of India’s biggest public movements:
Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement (2011)
Nirbhaya justice protests (2012)
Tamil Nadu farmers’ protest (2017)
Wrestlers’ protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (2023)
CJP protest against NEET paper leaks (2026)
Location: Parliament Street, New Delhi
(PC: Canva)