The Temple Cave of Batu

The Temple Cave of  Batu

Batu Caves is a limestone hill which has a series of caves and cave temples in the Gombak district, 13 kilometers (8 mi) north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill.

The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India and is the focal point of the Hindu festival of Thaipusam. Since 1892, the Thaipusam festival in the Tamil month of Thai (which falls in late January/early February) has been celebrated there.

Rising almost 100 meters above the ground, the Batu Caves temple complex consists of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The biggest (shown above) is referred to as Cathedral Cave or Temple Cave, and has a very high ceiling featuring ornate Hindu shrines. To reach it, visitors must climb a steep flight of 272 steps. At the base of the hill are two more cave temples, Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave, both of which are full of Hindu statues and paintings.