| Batu Caves | |
|---|---|
 Entrance to the cave complex with theMurugan statue in the front | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Gombak |
| Deity | Murugan |
| Festivals | Thaipusam |
| Location | |
| State | Selangor |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Geographic coordinates | 3°14′14.64″N101°41′2.06″E / 3.2374000°N 101.6839056°E /3.2374000; 101.6839056 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Dravidian Architecture |
| Completed | 1920 |
Batu Caves is a 325-m tall[1]mogote with a series oflimestonecaves inGombak,Selangor,Malaysia. It is located about 13 km (8.1 mi) north of the capital city ofKuala Lumpur. The cave complex contains manyHindu temples, the most popular of which is a shrine dedicated to the deityMurugan. It is the focal point of theTamil Hindu festival ofThaipusam in Malaysia. The complex also hosts a 43 m (141 ft) highMurugan statue, one of the largest Murugan statues in the world.
The name for the cave complex is derived from the wordbatu fromMalay meaning "rock".[2] The hill was called as "Kapal Tanggang" (ship of Si Tanggang) as perSi Tanggang, theMalay version of theMinang folktaleMalin Kundang.[3][2] InTamil, the temple complex is called asPathu malai (பத்து மலை).[4]
The caves were used as shelters by the indigenousTemuan people, a tribe ofOrang Asli.[5] In the 1860s,Chinese settlers began excavatingguano from the caves, used asfertilisers.[6] In 1878, the caves were visited byAmericannaturalistWilliam Hornaday.[7]K. Thamboosamy, an IndianTamil trader, promoted the cave complex as a site ofHindu worship.[5] AHindu temple dedicated to lordMurugan was completed in 1891 with the annualThaipusam celebrations commencing in 1892.[8] Further development of religious sites has happened ever since in the region. Housing development around the region began in the late 20th century withnon-governmental organisations expressing concerns about the over-development.[9]
The complex is amogote with a series oflimestone caves, formed more than 400 million years ago.[10][11] It consists of a complex cave system of 20 recognized caves including four large cave systems with multiple inter-connected chambers.[2]
Thespeleothems were formed by the action of water falling on the surface percolating through the surface and interacting with the sub-surface, resulting in the dissolution oflimestone rocks, resulting in the formation ofstalactites andstalagmites. Stalactites jutting from the ceiling and stalagmites rising from the floor form intricate formations of cave curtains,flowstones,cave pearls, andscallops. The interiors would have been damp and wet when the caves were being formed.[12][13]
The Batu cave system and its caverns is abiodiversity hotspot consisting of many plant and animal species, many of which are specific to such limestone environments.[14] About 269 species ofvascular plants including 56 species (21%) ofcalciphiles have been recorded from the site.[15] There are a diverse range of cave fauna, includingendemic species such as thetrapdoor spiderLiphistius batuensis.[16] There are 21 species of bats, including several species offruit bats. The dark cave system is home to numerous species of insects includinghaplotaxids,spiders,mites,ticks,scorpions,springtails,beetles,flies,ants,wasps,bees,butterflies,moths and other animals such asfrogs,lizards,snakes andsnails.[14][17][18] The bat guano is home to a native species of cockroach,Pycnoscelus striatus.[19]
The site is also home to numerouslong-tailed macaques. The monkeys often depend on people for food and might cause disturbance or nuisance.[20] To preserve the cave's ecology, access is restricted in the inner cave complex which can be accessed by the educational trips organised by theMalaysian Nature Society. Development over the years, industrial activity, and the high number of footfalls due to the religious site are threats to the biodiversity in the region.[14]
The similarity of the entrance to the cave structure to avel (aspear) wielded by the deity Murugan is said to have inspired Thamboosamy to build a temple. The Subramanian Swamy temple is located in the largest cave in the complex.[8] Initially, the hill has to be climbed on foot to reach the shrine. In 1920, wooden steps were installed to enable the pilgrims to reach the temple. In the 1930s, the stairs began to show signs of wear and a decision was made to buildconcrete steps on the southern side of the cave complex. In 1940, 272 concrete steps were constructed, which exist to date.[21][22] In August 2018, the steps were re-painted with each set of particular number of steps painted in a different color.[23][24] In 2024, plans were unveiled to build a multi-purpose hall in the foothills and anescalator to the temple.[25]
At the base of the hill are two caves, Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave, which form the Cave Villa complex. These consist of statues and paintings fromHindu mythology, most of them relating to the life and stories of Murugan.[8] The Ramayana Cave is situated to the left, which consists of paintings from the Hindu epicRamayana. There is a 15 m (49 ft) tall statue ofHanuman at the entrance and a temple dedicated to Hanuman, opened in November 2001.[8]
To the right of the steps which serve as an entrance to the cave complex, a 42.7 m (140 ft) tallstatue of Murugan was unveiled in January 2006. Painted ingold, it is the amongst the tallest Murugan statue in the world and the tallest statue inMalaysia.[8][26]
The Batu Caves serve as the focal point of the yearly Thaipusam (Tamil:தைபூசம்) festival, celebrated byTamil Hindus. The temple attracts thousands of people for the elaborate festivities.Kavadi Aattam is a ceremonial act of sacrifice and offering practiced by devotees, which forms a central part of the festival.[27]Kavadi (meaning "burden" in Tamil) itself is a physical burden, which usually consists of two semicircular pieces of wood or steel which are bent and attached to a cross structure in its simplest form, that is balanced on the shoulders of the devotee and signifies a form ofdebt bondage.[28] Worshipers often carry pot(s) ofcow milk as an offering (paal kudam). The most extreme and spectacular practice is the carrying ofVel kavadi, a portable altar decorated with peacock feathers and flowers, that is attached to the body of the devotee through multiple skewers and metal hooks pierced into the skin on the chest and back.[28][29]
People also do a form ofmortification of the flesh bypiercing the skin, tongue or cheeks withvel skewers andflagellation.Vibuthi, a type of holy ash is spread across the body including the piercing sites. Drumming and chanting of verses help the devotees enter a state oftrance.[30] Devotees usually prepare for the rituals by keeping clean, doing regular prayers, following a vegetarian diet and fasting while remaining celibate for 48 days.[31][29] A procession begins in the morning on Thaipusam from theSri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur. A silver chariot weighing 350 kg (770 lb) carrying the idols of Murugan with his consortsValli andDeivanai is taken along the procession, accompanied by the devotees. After ritual bathing in the nearby Sungai Batu River, the devotees make their way to the temple.[29][32]
The cave complex which exists on a hillock is a place forrock climbing. There are nearly 160 climbing routes on the north-eastern side of the cave complex, called Damai caves. The routes are scattered across the sides with hills rising to 150 metres (490 ft). These climbing routes can be accessed from the ground level withabseiling andspelunking trips organized by local companies.[14][33]
Batu Caves can be reached by taking thecommuter train fromKL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur to the KC05 Batu Caves Komuter station. Batu Caves may also be reached by bus 11 from Bangkok Bank stop nearCentral Market. Batu Caves can also be reached by car.[34]
Media related toBatu Caves at Wikimedia Commons
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