Coco and I went to the Batu Caves, a well-visited spot for tourists and Hindu devotees alike. From afar, a grand staircase is visible, with 272 steps to the caves. Limestone dropped and shaped the cave walls, monkey jumped about and bats (three types) flying over people’s heads, and shrines/temples stood upright with colorful figurines or deities. The Batu Caves was discovered in 1891 by the American explorer William Hornaby. Ten years later, “local Indian dignitaries convinced the British colonial authorities that the caves were ideal places in which to worship. Soon ever-increasing number of devotees were visiting the caves to pray at the shrine established here to Lord Muruga; later the temple complex was expanded to include a shrine to the elephant-headed deity Ganesh” (The Rough Guide to Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei, 2009).
Did you climb the steps and see the gods inside the caves? Rue, do you remember the story I tell about meeting a woman with two thumbs? It was here where that story began. I'm so glad you got to see this.
ReplyDelete