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Batu cave temple is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. Batu cave houses several Hindu shrines beneath its 100-metre-high arched ceiling. Wooden steps up to the Temple Cave were built in 1920 and have since been replaced by 272 concrete steps. Of the various cave temples that comprise the site, the largest and best known is this Temple. Rising almost 100 m above the ground, the Batu Caves temple complex consists of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The biggest, referred to as Cathedral Cave or Temple Cave, has a very high ceiling and features ornate Hindu shrines.
The star attraction to Batu caves is the world’s tallest & largest statue of Lord Murugan (42.7m/ (140.09 feet ).
Hindu festival ‘Thaipusam’, dedicated to lord Muruga, is one of the festivals that the temple celebrates in a grand manner. Thousands of devotees throng around the temple during thaipusam (end of January). The limestone forming Batu Caves is said to be around 400 million years old. Some of the cave entrances were used as shelters by the indigenous Temuan people the largest and most popular cavern in Batu Caves.
At the foot of Batu Hill are two other cave temples – the Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave – which houses numerous Hindu statues and paintings. Batu Caves was promoted as a place of worship by K. Thamboosamy Pillai, an Indian trader. He was inspired by the ‘vel’-shaped entrance of the main cave and was inspired to dedicate a temple to Lord Murugan within the caves. In 1890, Pillai, who also founded the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, installed the murti (consecrated statue) of Sri Murugan Swami in what is today known as the Temple Cave.
Many of the shrines relate the story of Lord Murugan’s victory over the demon Soorapadam. An audio tour is available to visitors.
The Ramayana Cave is situated to the extreme left as one faces the sheer wall of the hill. On the way to the Ramayana Cave, there is a 50-foot (15 m) tall statue of Hanuman and a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, devotee and aide of Lord Rama.
The consecration ceremony of the temple was held in November 2001. The Ramayana Cave depicts the story of Rama in a chronicle manner along the irregular walls of the cave.
After bathing in the nearby Sungai Batu (Rocky River), the devotees make their way to the Temple Cave and climb the flights of stairs to the temple in the cave. Devotees use the wider centre staircase while worshippers and onlookers throng up and down those balustrades on either side.
Opening Hours: Daily, 06:00 – 21:00
Address: Batu Caves, Sri Subramaniam Temple, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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