Let us introduce ourselves
About Taman Tirtagangga
Tirta Gangga is derived from the word “Tirta”, meaning holy water, and “Gangga”, the name of a holy river in India where people perform rituals to purify themselves.
A few words about us
Tirtagangga is a well-known cultural landmark of Bali. It belongs to the Royal Family of Karangasem and is composed mainly of water, gardens and sculptures. Set in the middle of rice fields and surrounded by several natural springs, it was built by the late King, Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, in 1948. He was inspired by the many water springs of Rejasa, and built this beautiful park for everybody to enjoy.
Located at the foot of Mount Agung, about 7 km north of Amlapura, the main town of Karangasem, Tirtagangga will enchant you with its beauty, its charm, and the sound of water flowing everywhere in the park.
The water garden covers about 1.2 ha (3 acres), laid out on three levels stretching from east to west.
Three garden levels
Swah · Bwah · Bhur
- Upper level
Swah
On the highest, northern Swah level are the spring under the banyan tree, the upper swimming pool and two decorative ponds: one with four fountains reminiscent of Versailles, the other with Victoria lotuses.
- Middle level
Bwah
The first thing you see on entering the garden is the elegant eleven-tiered Nawa Sanga fountain rising from the middle of the complex. Together with the two ponds it forms the middle Bwah level.
- Lower level
Bhur
The larger, lowest Bhur level, on the left of the straight footpath running west from the entrance, is occupied by the big South pond with the long Demon Island in the middle.
Our garden
Entering the Gardens of Tirtagangga, the first thing visitors see is a stretch of water to the left and right, with the eleven-tiered Nawa Sanga fountain in the middle. In the water you can see many fish swimming. The water is very clear and cool, as it all flows from natural springs. The spring water at Tirtagangga is considered holy, so there is a dedicated temple on the upper level of the gardens, under the banyan tree, with its own natural spring used specifically for religious ceremonies.
At the first gate you are greeted by statues from the Mahabharata story, lined up neatly like soldiers. Visitors can walk across the pond on stone stepping paths arranged like a series of bridges, and take pictures against the tall fountain and the statues in the pool, with fish all around.
There are also pools designated for swimming. The water in the Tirta Gangga pool is very cool and clear, and feels completely different from swimming in a modern pool. Take your time to enjoy it, and bring a change of clothes and a towel if you plan to try the bathing pool fed by the Rejasa spring.
The multipurpose building on the right is now a restaurant and souvenir shop. The sculptures in the Mahabharata pond, at the Nawa Sanga fountain, at the South Ornamental Pond, at the meditation place and elsewhere are all meaningful for the balance of the upper and lower worlds.
1948 – today
Brief history
- c. 300 yrs
It is not known when the springs started to flow at the place now called Tirtagangga, but judging by the banyan tree, which is usually planted near holy places, they may have been there for as long as 300 years. To this day the spring water is used as holy water for many ceremonies.
- 1948
The religious function of the spring, the cool climate and the scenic beauty of the surrounding hills inspired the late King of Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, to build recreational water gardens for himself and his people, which he started in 1948. Making water gardens of all sorts had always been his hobby. He not only did all the designing himself, but also worked together with his labourers, digging in the ground, standing knee-deep in the water, dirty with mud. It was always a great surprise for visitors, after watching the work in progress for a while, to discover the tiny figure of the Raja among the workers. People liked it, and it was one of his many charming traits.
- Jan–Sep 1948
Construction began around January 1948 and was completed around September 1948, after which the garden was officially used by the Royal Family as a resting place. It is still used today for the welfare of the Royal Family and by the local residents of Ababi, Temega and Pladung for Tirta Yatra religious activities.
- 1963
In 1963 Mount Agung erupted, with many earthquakes that destroyed most of the buildings and ponds in the park. The entire royal family and the community of Karangasem sought refuge in other, safer areas of Bali. When the calamity was over after about ten months, the Raja returned, only to find his beautiful garden in ruins. There was no money to rebuild the ponds and structures. With the introduction of the Land Reform Bill the Rajas, like all other great landowners, had lost their means for extravagant undertakings. The rehabilitation of Tirtagangga could only be done in a very frugal and haphazard manner.
- 1966
In 1966 the Raja died of a stroke at the age of 87. After his passing the Water Gardens belonged to his 10 sons. To preserve the family heritage, the gardens and the special architecture pioneered by the Raja of Karangasem became part of the family property, “Druwe Tengah”. Unfortunately the family had no funds to continue maintaining the place, and it struggled even after deciding to start charging guests to enter the gardens.
- 1979
From 1979, after a long period of duty abroad, one of the late King’s sons, Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik, supervised the rehabilitation of the garden. With a slight increase of the entrance fee in 1985 and donations of his own money, a little could be accomplished. An arrangement was also made with the local water company (PDAM) to use part of the spring water for Karangasem’s town supply, which helped to renovate the upper swimming pool. Little by little the water gardens came into better shape and became known in the world of tourism.
- 2002
In 2002, with the help of several foundations and donors, initiated by Dr. A.A. Made Djelantik and further managed by his son, A.A. Widoera Djelantik, an architect, the gardens could be renovated more intensively, step by step according to a master plan drawn up at the time. After several years of hard work, A.A. Widoera, assisted by other members of the Royal Family, managed to bring back the beauty of the Royal Garden, Taman Tirtagangga.
- 2018
Since mid-2018 the gardens have been managed by another member of the Royal Family, A.A. Made Kosalya, together with a management and operations team of about 40 people.
More about the history of the park can be found at www.tirtagangga.com.
Visit
Plan your visit
- Opening hours
- Daily 8:00 am–6:00 pm (Closed on Nyepi Day)
- Location
- Ababi, Karangasem, Bali (About 7 km north of Amlapura)
- Phone
- +62 812-3670-048