Visit Tirta Gangga, The Royal Water Garden in Karangasem Regency, Bali
TIRTA GANGGA WATER PALACE IS A WELL MAINTAINED POOL COMPLEX BUILT BY THE LAST KING IN 1948 WITH CORVEE LABOR ON THE SITE OF A SACRED SPRING EMERGING FROM UNDER A BANYAN TREE.
Tirta Gangga Water Palace were designed and constructed in 1948 by Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem (1887 – 1966), who was the last king of Karangasem. He was a remarkable man to say the least, not only because he was the architect of the water gardens but also because he helped with the construction of the gardens. A lot of people were astonished to find the Raja amidst his lower class laborers, working knee deep in the mud digging out the pools and ponds. The gardens of Tirta Gangga Water Palace show a unique mix of Balinese and Chinese architecture. The grounds of the water garden (ca 1.2 ha.) consists of three separate complexes each with ponds and many sculptures. The complex on the lowest level has two large ponds and a water tower. At the second complex (middle level) of the Bali water palace are the swimming pools. The third level houses the main complex with the country home of the former Raja.
Nowadays one can find a restaurant and four bungalow units in this former country home of Raja A.A. Anglurah Ketut Karangasem. Building water gardens, including the designing and the labor work, was a favorite hobby of the Raja. As many of his visitors did not expect this, of course they were surprised to find the Raja himself working among his laborers, standing knee deep in mud digging out the earth.
A reservoir on the grounds receives the spring water and from this reservoir drinking water is delivered via a pipe system to the town of Amlapura. There is also an underground pipe system which leads to the upper swimming pool, where it emerges through the mouth of a raksasa (a demon statue) which stands at a corner of the pool. Here the water flows over into a lower level pool. From this lower level pool it flows into some small fish ponds and from there into the rice fields that border the gardens.
Tirta Gangga Water Palace has always been regarded as holy and is regularly used for religious temple ceremonies. With important celebration days Tirta Gangga Water Palace is the destination of colorful processions with offerings, umbrellas, flags and other tributes. Led by the local temple priests, ceremonies are held at the spring, accompanied by chanting and the music of the Beleganjur, a gamelan gong group of small gongs with each musician striking a specific, different note on the musical scale, all blending in harmony.
Entrance Ticket : IDR 30,000
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