What's the Vedic clock that PM inaugurated in Ujjain? How does it tell time?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the “Vikramaditya Vedic clock,” which calculates time based on the Indian “Panchang” (time calculation system), in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.

Along with the special timepiece, he launched several developmental projects worth more than Rs 17,551 crore in Ujjain via a video link.

“The Indian system of time calculation is the oldest, subtle, pure, error-free, authentic and reliable method in the world. This most reliable system is being re-established in the form of Vikramaditya Vedic clock in Ujjain,” an official release said.

Here’s all we know about it.

The Vedic clock

The clock is installed on an 85-foot high tower constructed at Jantar Mantar in Ujjain, adjacent to the Government Jiwaji Observatory, according to ANI.

It will display 30 Muhurats, tithi and all other time calculations of Vedic Hindu panchang. Additionally, Samvat, Mas, moon position, Parva, Shubhshubh Muhurat, Ghati, Nakshatra, solar eclipse, lunar eclipse, among other things, as per Times Now.

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Sri Ram Tiwari, director of the Maharaja Vikramaditya Research Institute, stated, as quoted by the news agency, “It will be the world’s first clock in which Indian time calculation will be displayed. The Vedic clock installed in Ujjain as the city has been considered the centre of time calculation. The Tropic of Cancer passes through Ujjain.”

The then Higher Education Minister and now state Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had laid the foundation stone of the Vedic clock on 6 November 2022.

Time calculation

The unique timepiece calculates time based on Vedic Hindu Panchang, planetary positions, Muhurat, astrological calculations, solar eclipse, lunar eclipse, among other things, and also indicates the Indian Standard Time (IST) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

The period from one sunrise to the next is used to calculate time.

Shishir Gupta, a member of the Vedic clock development team, explained ANI how the clock functions.

“The clock will calculate time from one sunrise to another. The time period between the two sunrises will be divided into 30 parts, with each hour consisting of 48 minutes according to ISD. The reading will start from 0.00 with the sunrise functions for 30 hours (an hour of 48 minutes).

CM Yadav, according to ANI, while laying the foundation stone had said that there will be a dedicated mobile application for the readings of the Vedic Clock, and citizens will be able to use it on their smartphones, computers, televisions, and other devices.

The reason its located in Ujjain

According to experts, the standard time of the world was determined from Ujjain 300 years ago.

The press release said, “Throughout the world, the time prescribed and transmitted from Ujjayini (Ujjain) has been followed. The shortest fraction of time is included in Indian time calculations based on the Indian astronomical theory and the motions of planetary constellations.”

Ujjain was previously thought to be India's central meridian, and the city determined the nation's time zones and time difference, according to Hindu astronomical belief.

The city of Lord Mahakal is situated exactly where the Tropic of Cancer and Zero Meridians meet. Additionally, it is situated in the oldest observatory in India, which Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur constructed in the early 1700s.

According to the Hindustan Times, Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, which is located at 82°30' East longitude, is the location of the zero meridian on the Prime Meridian, or IST, four hours ahead of GMT, according to the 1884 convention on meridians.

With inputs from agencies