The park was built in 1727 by order of the Balinese king Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Karang Asem. His intention was to use the palace in the park as a kind of summer house and his family often came to Lombok to rest in the dry season.
The name come from the Narmada River in India, one of the five holy rivers of Hinduism. For Hindus, water is a sacred element, because it makes all life on earth possible. Water that comes from the ground (from a natural source) is associated with immortality water, as it is also known in Indian Hindu culture. Originally Narmada was therefore the name of the natural resources in this area on Lombok, but nowadays the name used for the whole complex of parks, ponds, pools and temples.
After the construction of the park in the 18th century, there are several new buildings built in the course of time. In the 80s the Indonesian government together with the province led a large-scale renovation. After the renovation, the complex was placed on the Indonesian Heritage list and now it is well maintained.
The park is due to the many water called the water palace. There are many large and small ponds, and there is also a large outdoor pool. Children from the village not only swim in the pool, but also between the fountains by the ponds. One of the buildings in the park is known as the Balai Petirtaan. Three underground waters from the Rinjani vulcano come together (called Lingsar, Suranadi and Narmada). In this temple is a Hindu priest who can present you with a short ceremony with holy water, and then you can drink a glass of holy water.
The Narmada Park is located ten kilometers east of the center of Mataram, at the end of the street Jalan Ahmad Yani. Buses and minibuses run from the city, but they are not always easy to find. A metered taxi (Lombok Taksi from the famous Blue Bird Group) costs from Mataram 30,000 rupiah, from Senggigi tourist area almost double.
Having a car (with driver) or scooter can be combined with a visit of the Temple of Lingsar. This temple is located a few kilometers north and is special because it is a shared place of worship for Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists.