User:Ranu wiki/Pathani Samanta

Pathani Samanta, (13 December 1835 – 1904), was a prominent astronomer from Orissa. He is also known by his full name: Samanta Chandrasekhar Mahamahoadhyaya in the circles of traditional astrology. The title of Mahamahopadhyaya was convered upon him by the British Govt. in 1893 in recognition of his contribution to astronomy. He is credited with making accurate calculations and predictions in astronomical events in his own ingenious way, since he did not have access to modern technology being used by his western counterparts at that time.

He created his ingenious instruments out of three wooden sticks and bamboo chips and attained great accuracy in measurement of celestial bodies. His scientific investigations are manuscripted in “Siddhanta Darpana” composed in Sanskrit Verse. Prof. Jogesh Chandra Ray played a key role in the publication of Siddhanta Darpana in Devanagiri script from a Calcutta press in 1899 with the financial support from the princely states of Athmalik and Mayurbhanja in Orissa. It was critically acclaimed in astronomy circles at that time.

Though Pathani Samanta passed away in the early 20th century, even today most of the Oriya almanaces attribute their calculations in panjika to his techniques and observations.

In the absence of sophisticated technology, he would spend sleepless nights, watching and calibrating paths of celestial objects which was ofcourse very painful. For this, he was sometimes admiringly reffered to as 'the naked eye astronomer from India'.