Duke World: Batu Caves | The Temple of Cave Malaysia

28 June 2014

Batu Caves | The Temple of Cave Malaysia

Batu Caves | The Temple of Cave

Batu Caves, Gombak, Malaysia. The limestone hills located just 13 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur. Its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill, and Batu Caves is also the name of the nearby village. Batu Caves is a series of Caves and Caves Temples in the Gombak District. The main attraction is the large statue of Hindu God at the entrance with 272 concrete steep. The history says the limestone forming Batu Caves to be around 400 millions years old. Some of the cave entrance were used as shelters by indigenous Temuan people "A tribe of Orang Asli". The caves became famous only after the limestone hills were recorded by colonial authorities including Daly and Syers as well as American Naturalist, William Hornaday in 1878. The Batu Caves was pomoted as a place of worship by K. Thamboosamy Pillai, an Indian Trader, He dedicate a temple to Lord Murugan within the caves. In 1890, Pillai, who also founded Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, installed the statue of Sri Murugan Swami in the what is today known as the Temple of Cave. Since 1892, The Thaipusam Festival in the Tamil month of Thai which comes in last of January/beginning of February, has been celebrated here. In 2006, a 140 feet tall concrete statue of Lord Murugan Statue was added at the foot of the stairs, the tallest statue of Hindu deity in Malaysia and second tallest statue of Hindu deity in the world. The Caves is also known as Cathedral Cave because it houses several Hindu shrines beneath its high vaulted ceiling.