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Lombok is where the transition from the
western to the eastern Indonesian fauna and flora begins. The northern part of the island
is mountainous and verdant with tall trees and shrubs covering the land. The south is arid
and covered by savannas. Large Asian mammals are absent. The shift gets more pronounced as
one moves further east. Dry seasons are more prolonged, so in many areas corn and sago
instead of rice is the staple food.
Lombok island has white virgin beaches, an age-old culture,
separated by merely a narrow strait from Bali, it is only now being discovered as a
tourist destination of exceptional charm. Here the motto is "you can see Bali in
Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali". It is an existing reality, formed by the
superimposition of strong Balinese influences in the past, upon a base that is entirely
Lombok's own. At around the time Islam first came to these islands in the 16th century,
four Hindu Kingdoms coexisted in apparent peace in what is now West Nusa Tenggara. |
At present, Hinduism is the religion embraced mostly by
the Balinese population of western Lombok. The indigenous people of Lombok, the Sasaks,
are predominantly Moslem. Even more so are the people of neighboring Sumbawa.
At present, West Nusa Tenggara's cultural make-up is a composite of the four main
population groups inhabiting the two islands: the Balinese, the Sumbawanese, and the
peoples of Bima and Dompu. The region is famous for its "ikat" hand-woven
textiles. Cattle and horses are the major export commodities of these islands.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Mataram and Cakranegara
Mataram is the capital of the province which has in the past decades joined with Ampenan,
the port, and Cakranegara to become the province's biggest urban complex.
At around the beginning of the 18th century, Mataram was the residence of the crown prince
of Karang Asem, a kingdom in southern Bali.
The ruler himself had his seat in Cakranegara. The royal palace no longer exists, but many
of the old temples and pleasure gardens are still there.
Lombok's biggest Balinese temple is the Pura Meru in Cakranegara. Dedicated to the Hindu
trinity of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, it was built in 1720 by Anak Agung Made Karang, which
has three courtyards. Three pagoda-like places of worship stand in a line from north to
south in the innermost courtyard. The one on the north is dedicated to Vishnu and has a
roof with nine tiers. The central one is dedicated to Shiva with II tiers on its roof and
the southernmost one is for Brahma with a roof of seven tiers.
Nearby is Taman Mayura. Once part of the royal palace, it has an artificial lake set in
the middle of a park. A raised path leads from the side of the pond to a pavilion built in
the middle of the lake. In former days, justice was meted out and religious rituals were
performed in this open-sided pavilion.
Narmada
Taman Narmada, 11 kilometers east of Mataram, was built in 1727 by King Anak Agung Gede
Ngurah Karang Asem as both a 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 he became too old to make the
pilgrimage up the 3,726 meter high mountain, he had Narmada made 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.
Pura Lingsar
This may be the only Hindu shrine in the world where both Hindus and Moslems come to
worship. About 7 kilometers west of Narmada, it was built in 1714 and rebuilt in 1878 to
symbolize harmony and unity between the Hindu Balinese and Moslem Sasak population of the
area, especially those who adhere to Lombok's unique Wektu Telu school of Islam.
The Balinese temple is built on higher ground, behind the Moslem section in the compound.
In the lower yard is a spring in which pilgrims in the temple yard stage a mock battle
between Hindus and Moslems, in which both parties hurl rice cakes at each other.
Pura Agung Gunung Sari
This great temple on a hill at Gunung Sari, about four kilometers from Mataram, was
witness to the Puputan battle to the last man, fought on November 22, 1894, between
Lombok's last Balinese ruler, Anak Agung Nengah and followers, and the Dutch troops under
General Van der Vetter's command.
Sukarare
This is a village of weavers south of Cakranegara. Lombok is known for its brightly
patterned songket cloth. People have been making it on their hand-looms for many
generations.
Sengkol, Pujut and Rambitan
Time seems to have frozen in these three villages in southern Lombok on the road from the
capital to Kuta Beach. All the houses and barns are built in the age-old traditional style
where life itself appears to be as it always has been.
The arid savanna-like landscape of this area is impressive even in its starkness.
Batu Bolong Beach
Located 9 km from downtown Mataram, this beach has a huge rock with a hole in it. A Hindu
temple lies on top facing the Lombok Strait and beyond is the contour of majestic Mount
Agung of Bali. After sunbathing, relaxing and frolicking on this beautiful beach-front,
try to stay till the end of the day to watch one of the most stunning sunsets you have
ever seen when the sun slowly begins to disappear behind Mount Agung with incredibly
flaming colors.
Taman Mayura
The Mayura Park is what remains of the once existing Karang Asem kingdom of Bali. In the
middle of a large pond is a structure called Balai Kambang which at the time functioned as
a legal court of justice as well as a hall for important meetings. Curiously, its
architecture shows both Hindu as well as Islamic influence, whereas around the place
statues made of stone are found in the form of a Moslem haj.
Pura Meru
Another relic remaining from the Karang Asem Kingdom is the Meru Temple at Cakranegara,
close to Mataram. The temple was built in 1720 during King A.A. Made's rule as a symbol of
Hindu unity on Lombok island. Several structures are found in this complex, all of them
designated to function for particular purposes, including the 33 stalls located next to
the main temple.
Kuta Beach
Also known as Putri Nyale Beach, Kuta on the south coast of central Lombok is one of the
most scenic and unspoiled beaches in this part of Indonesia. From Kuta to Tanjung Aan five
km away, it is an unbroken stretch of clean white sand on the Indian Ocean. It is safe for
bathing and swimming. Further to the west are the surfers and wind surfers beaches. Each
year, on the 19th day of the tenth month of the Sasak lunar calendar on February or March
when the Nyale fish come to the sea's surface, Kuta Beach is the site of great
festivities. Fishermen sail out to sea while young men and women gather along the beach to
join in the merrymaking, tease each other and perhaps meet to build a more lasting
relationship |
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