Narmada Park

Narmada Park

Lombok has several temples and ruins which make the earlier Balinese domination and influence on this island very apparent. The moment this comment is made, Narmada Taman Temple Complex, Lombok springs to mind. Lombok is the home to a numerous tourist sites and it could be said that the Pura Agung Narmada, Mataram, situated opposite the Narmada market is a popular destination of this island. It is a famous temple situated near the Narmada Park on a hilly terrain.

Taman Narmada, 11 kilometers east of Mataram, was built in 1727 by King Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Karang Asem as both pleasure garden and place to worship Shiva. Its big pool is said to represent Segara Anakan, the crater lake on the volcano Rinjani, where they used to make offerings by throwing valuables into the water. As the king became too old to make the pilgrimage up the 3,726 meter high mountain, he had Narmada constructed to represent the mountains and the lake. Near the pond is a place of worship and a spring whose water is believed to give dedicated pilgrims eternal youth.

The Narmada Park / Taman Narmada that lies on the eastern part of Mataram is a replica of the sacred Mount Rinjani situated at the north of Lombok. The striking feature of this complex is the artificial lagoon, which resembles the Seggara Anak Lake (the crater lake) of Mount Rinjani. The reason for building a replica of the Mount Rinjani is that an aged king found it grueling to ascend to the top of the mountain to offer his prayers by offering valuables to the crater lake, which is also considered to be sacred. It is also the home to a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Pura Kalasa.
After a hectic day if you need to relax or need a respite from the daily schedule of life then this is the place to be. The Pura Agung Narmada, Mataram provides one with the perfect ambience required to unwind the body and the mind.
If we go back in time some couple of centuries back, we will find that the Balinese were engaged in a battle for conquest of the island. In 1677, Balinese won and thus Lombok came under the influence of the Hindu Balinese and their ways and customs. The more powerful islanders, that is the Balinese, made it their business to see that the control over the island remains in their hands. With the new rulers who had the confidence and support of the local Sasak aristocracy, new temples and other structures were gradually built. Narmada Taman Temple Complex is perhaps the most famous of all the Balinese architectural splendors.
To understand why this temple complex was so important in the Balinese scheme of things, one has to understand the place of Mt. Rinjani in Indonesian lives. This is one of the highest peaks in Indonesia and an active volcano, the last time it erupted was about two years ago. The mountain is very revered by the locals and the crater lake, Seggara Anak Lake, which is just below the rim is believed to have healing powers, just as the numerous hot springs which dot the slopes to the mountain. Here people come from near and afar to offer offerings to the majestic mountain and the lake in hope of a cure to their various ailments. Legend has it that the aged and ailing monarch found it difficult to climb the mountain and offer his homage.
Narmada Taman Temple Complex lies at six miles east of Cakranegara and was built in 1727 AD during the reign of King Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Karang Asem. It is situated near the famous Narmada Park. The architecture of this temple is very interesting as there is a mix of three distinct styles, Hindu, Islam and Sasak. The whole outlay is a miniature of the mountain and the crater lake. Narmada is a sacred river in India and the temple in the complex, Pura Kalasa, is still the center of Balinese Pujawali celebration. Pura Kalasa is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The whole complex is very beautiful and you can spend some peaceful hours here but the weekends see hordes of crowds. The visiting hours are from seven in the morning to six in the evening.
Image Credit : lombokparadiso.blogspot.com & travelingtolombok.blogspot.com

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