Iconic Dalam Loka Palace, built in 1855 by Sumbawa Sultan Muhammad Jalaluddin Syah III, is one West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) monument that is widely known throughout Indonesia.
A replica of the palace at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) park of miniatures in Jakarta represents links between NTB and the capital and nation.
The palace, in the city centre of Sumbawa Besar, features walls made exclusively of teak and it once functioned as a museum.
Known as Istana Tua, or Old Palace, Dalam Loka Palace consists of twin buildings supported by 99 pillars representing the 99 known names of Allah.
Several royal palaces, including Bala Balong, Bala Sawo and Gunung Setia, previously occupied the Dalam Loka site but either collapsed from age or were destroyed by fire.
The large Dalam Loka Palace complex replaced the old palaces and still stands proudly, reflecting the history and culture of the Sumbawa sultanate.
Westwards in the palace complex is a large field, Lenang Lunyuk, in which stood Makam Mosque which has been renamed Nurul Huda Mosque. In the days of the earlier sultanate, the palace, the field and the mosque were an inseparable unit with interrelated functions.
About 500 metres to the north of the palace is a modern palace built by the Dutch colonial authorities in 1934. Named Wisma Praja, it is also known as Regency Hall and has been well maintained.
Wisma Praja is believed to have been the office of Sultan Kaharuddin III, before he eventually moved to Bala Kuning palace, the private yellow-coloured home which he occupied until his death.
Wisma Praja now serves as the official office of the Sumbawa regent and features a tennis court around where there was once a sacred well with a depth of 19 metres.
The southern part of the Wisma Praja complex, once a residential area for royal officials, houses a primary school, the Brang Bara village office and Sumbawa Besar offices.
At the front of the Wisma Praja complex is a three-story building known as Bale Jam, or Hour House, on whose third floor hangs a large bell imported from Holland. The bell, which no longer operates, would sound on the hour to inform Sumbawa Besar city residents of the time.
When political changes altered the status of Sumbawa from a sultanate to a second-level autonomous district, the sultan and his family moved from Wisma Praja to Bala Kuning which still displays some of the heritage of the sultanate.
Well maintained relics depicting the greatness of the sultanate include clothing and banquet and other ceremonial equipment. Other items include ceremonial swords and other weapons, umbrellas and a copy of the Qu’ran (Koran) hand-written by Ibnu Abdullah Al-Jawi during the reign of Sultan Harrunnurrasyid II, from 1770 to 1790.
According to Sumbawa’s head of Youth, Sport, Culture and Tourism, H Naziruddin, relics from the ancient Sumbawa sultanate, such as those found at Dalam Loka, Wisma Praja and Kuning Bala, are the main attractions in city tours of Sumbawa Besar.
“There is one more palace containing relics of the Sumbawa sultanate,” he said. “This is the former residence of the First Minister of Sumbawa and it is not well known by the public.
“Of course, in addition to our rich historical tours, Sumbawa regency also has many other interesting and exciting attractions and destinations.”
Source:enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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