Batu Caves
Batu Caves, one of Kuala Lumpur’s most popular tourist attractions and holiday destinations, is a limestone slope with three notable caverns and several smaller ones. The cave is one of the most prominent Tamil sanctuaries outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the main point of Malaysia’s Hindu celebration, Thaipusam. Batu Caves is also known as the 10th Caves or Hill for Lord Muruga, as there are six prominent religious places in India and four more in Malaysia. The three other temples in Malaysia are Kallumalai in Ipoh, Tanneermalai in Penang, and Sannasimalai in Malacca. This 100-year-old sanctuary, located approximately 11 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, features icons and statues raised within the fundamental hollows and surrounding it. The sanctuary, which is built inside with limestone structures estimated to be 400 million years old, is regarded as a key sacred site by Hindus. Church Building Cave, the largest and most common sinkhole in Batu Caves, shelters a few Hindu temples beneath its 100-meter-high inclined ceiling. At the foot of Batu Hill, there are two other give-in sanctuaries: the Art Gallery Cave and the Museum Cave, which house numerous Hindu statues and artistic masterpieces.
In 1860, Chinese settlers began mining guano to fertilize their vegetable patches. In 1878, colonial authorities such as Daly and Syers, as well as American naturalist William Hornaday, noted the limestone hills, which later became famous.
K. Thamboosamy Pillai, an Indian trader, advocated the Batu Caves as a site of devotion. Inspired by the vel-shaped entrance of the main cave, he dedicated a temple to Lord Murugan within it. In 1890, Pillai, who also constructed the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur, put the murti (consecrated statue) of Sri Murugan Swami in the Temple Cave. Since 1892, the Thaipusam celebration in the Tamil month of Thai (late January/early February) has been held there.
The wooden steps leading to the Temple Cave were built in 1920 and have since been rebuilt by 272 concrete steps. The Temple Cave, with its high vaulted ceiling and multiple Hindu shrines, is the largest and most well-known of the site’s cave temples.
In August 2018, the 272 steps were painted in a spectacular color scheme, with each set of steps painted in a distinct color palette. However, the National Heritage Department quickly filed charges for a violation of the law, which requires authorization for modifications within 200 metres of a heritage property. The temple’s administrators contested their failure to get authorization.
Batu Caves in Thaipusam. Batu Caves is the focal center of the annual Hindu celebration of Thaipusam, which attracts a significant number of devotees and visitors. Typically held toward the end of January, the parade begins on the night before the Thaipusam Festival at the Sri Mariamman Temple in KL’s downtown district. The parade often arrives at Batu Caves in the early morning of the following day; the entire celebration begins at that moment and lasts an average of eight hours. In the past, the festival has attracted over a million visitors, making it one of the world’s largest social events.
Kavadis Many devotees carry their donations – drain sections – to Lord Murugan via large, brilliantly decorated ‘kavadis’. Kavadis are two large crescent-shaped pieces of wood or steel that are bowed and attached to a cross construction that may be adjusted around the shoulders. These devices are commonly combined with various metal snares and sticks used to enter the skin, cheeks, and tongue. The kavadi is adorned with flowers and peacock plumes, and some can weigh up to 100 kilograms. A few teachers fulfill promises made to the Gods by having their bodies pricked with snares, needles, and even sticks, and guests are frequently intrigued by the dedication of devotees. The truly amazing achievement occurs when devotees begin the hard climb up the 272 stages to the highest point of the holes – the trek needs a staggering amount of fortitude as they frequently need to counteract the pressure of the clamoring masses. Clerics do their best to sprinkle sanctified slag over the snares and sticks entering the fans’ substance before they are removed.
Undeveloped caves host a varied diversity of fauna, including rare species like Liphistiidae spiders, Eonycteris, and fruit bats. The place is well-known for its numerous long-tailed macaques, which visitors often feed unintentionally. These monkeys can also bite tourists (particularly little children) since they are quite territorial.
The Dark Cave, located beneath the Temple Cave, is home to unique rock formations and fauna. It is a two-kilometer network of largely unexplored caverns. Stalactites projecting from the cave ceiling and stalagmites rising from the floor create exquisite formations such as cave curtains, flow stones, cave pearls, and scallops that took thousands of years to develop.
Access to the cave is limited to protect its environment. The Malaysian Nature Society hosts regular educational and fun visits to the Dark Wet Caves.
Batu Caves has been the center of rock climbing growth in Malaysia for the past decade. Batu Caves has more than 160 climbing routes. The trails are strewn along the side of Batu Caves, which is made up of limestone hills that rise to 150 meters. Most of these climbing routes begin at ground level, making them fairly accessible. These climbing paths frequently begin on the north eastern side of the cave complex, whereas the stairway and temple entrance face south. This location in the northeast is known as the Damai caves. Abseiling and spelunking excursions can be arranged through several local adventure firms.
Housing construction began around 1970, with estates such as Taman Batu Caves, Taman Selayang, Taman Amaniah, Taman Sri Selayang, Taman Medan Batu Caves, and Taman Gombak Permai.
Over the previous decade, the surrounding neighborhood has transformed from a little town to industrial developments, new homes, and shops. There is also an elevated flyover crossing the roadway. A new 515-million-ringgit KTM Komuter rail line from Sentul to Batu Caves opened in July 2010, serving the refurbished Batu Caves Komuter station.
On January 1, 2011, during the Thaipusam celebration, it was revealed that a cable car will be installed for the following year. It would cost approximately ten million ringgit.
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