Tourist are constantly drawn to Narmada Park (Taman Narmada), also known as the Summer Palace (Musim Panas), to marvel at an ancient one kilometer-long irrigation channel built with surprisingly sophisticated techniques.Sited just east of Lake Ageng, the water channel, or Shiphon, was constructed during the Dutch occupation of Indonesia, then known as the Dutch East Indies, which began in the 17th Century and continued until 1949.
Shiphon resembles a giant snake which warped and split the area’s river to capture and deliver water to the region’s villages. Shiphon’s designers ensured that rather than lying flat, the massive channel was constructed to curve and follow the natural contours of the topography in its path The incredible channel starts at the small hill village of Persiapan Narmada and snakes its way along to Peresak village, fueling the villages and all in between with water that still gushes through the channel today.
By standing in the middle of Shiphon, you will get a view of the river and its banks GIANT WATER ‘SNAKE’ WOWS CROWDS AT THE PALACE on which, according to locals, are many White Mangosteen (Manggis Putih) fruit trees that are hundreds of years old. “Most visitors to Shiphon are foreign tourists, especially from the Netherlands,” said Narmada Park manager Supriyadi. “By visiting these places, the Dutch can trace part of the history of their ancestors in Indonesia.”
Tour guide Gunawan says the advanced techniques used in the design and construction of the age-old Shiphon never failed to impress guests with an appreciation for history. They find it amazing, he said. The historically-significant Narmada Park dates back to the reign of Lombok ruler King Anak Agung Gede Karang Asem who built the palace in the early 18th Century. The park is often referred to as Lombok’s Summer Palace as, according to history, in arid times the King would leave his royal palace, Puri Ukir Kawi, in the Cakranegara business district of Mataram, for the cool comfort of Narmada Park.
The name Narmada is taken from a sacred river in India and the word itself means “spring”. The 3.5-hectare Narmada Park, with its cool natural beauty, attracts a constant stream of domestic and foreign tourists,
especially to view its replica of volcanic Mount Rinjani’s sacred Lake Anak and to seek out the park’s famous signature dish of Sate Bulayak which is usually enjoyed under shady trees.
especially to view its replica of volcanic Mount Rinjani’s sacred Lake Anak and to seek out the park’s famous signature dish of Sate Bulayak which is usually enjoyed under shady trees.
For history enthusiasts, Narmada Park offers a chance to become immersed in the atmosphere of Lombok’s royal past. Within the park are two main significant sections. Firstly, there are the two sacred temples of Pura Kelasa and Pura Kelebutan (site of the famous Fountain of Youth).
Secondly, there is a group of buildings named Bale Mukedas which consists of Bale Agung, Bale Terang, Bale Loji and Bale Tajuk. These buildings were the king’s residence and places of activity for his soldiers. According to park manager Supriyadi, Narmada’s alluring mix of royal history, colonial history and natural beauty daily draws visitors from countries including the Netherlands, China, Japan, Australia and America.
0 comments:
Post a Comment