Temple #3: Batu Caves

Woke up after a huge downpour last night that partially flooded the hostel computer area. We're heading over to see the splendid fireflies at Kuala Salengor at 4pm. Decided to kill time this morning by visiting the Batu Caves just outside Kuala Lumpur. After a 30 minute bus ride in morning traffic through crowded streets and minor roads we reached the caves. It's a gigantic natural limestone cave complex turned into one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside of India. As evinced by the 150-foot high statue of popular Tamil diety, Lord Murugan (lord of war), the complex is mainly dedicated to him. This site is the focus of the Tamil's Thaipusam festival celebrating Murugan's birthday. Last year 1.5 million came came in homage to, many offered "kavadi", a ritual offering that includes coroporal mortification (piercing skin, tongue, cheeks with metalic skewers) as a symbolic show leading to para bhakti or supreme devotion!



We scaled the full 272 steps to the top (quite a work-out) and wandered through the huge cave complex that is reminiscent of the interiors of a cathetral (except much bigger). After the rainfall last night, water was dripping quite a bit from the limestone. Sections of the cave is open to the sky, with lit areas lined with lush vegitation. Proceeding to the upper chambers, we found about a dozen monkeys that descended the 150 plus foot high sheer walls to meddle with the tourists offering bananas. Quite a sight! Hopefully, I'll get photos up soon.


View looking up from inside the Batu Caves