Batu Caves
The Batu Caves (composed of Malay batu 'stone' and English caves 'caves') are limestone caves around 15 kilometers north of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur and house several Hindu temples. A nearby village bears the same name. Both got it from the Batu River ( Malay Sungai Batu ), which flows past the small limestone massif.
Although the caves had long been known to the local tribes, they did not become famous until 1878 by the American William Temple Hornaday . The largest is the 100 meter high so-called temple or cathedral cave, in which several Hindu shrines were later built. 272 steep steps lead from the forecourt up to the entrance of this main cave. A little deeper lies the Dark Cave , a relatively untouched cave system stretching over two kilometers. The fauna , including unique species such as the mesothelae Liphistius batuensis preserve, this is to visit only with guided tours. Two caves at the foot of the mountain, the art gallery and the museum cave, in which numerous Hindu statues and paintings can be seen, can be visited freely like the main cave.
Many of the shrines tell the story of the victory of the god Murugan over the demon "Soorapadam". The 42.7 meter high statue of Murugan on the forecourt was completed in January 2006 after three years of construction.
Every year at the end of January or beginning of February, the Batu Caves become the focal point of the Hindu Thaipusam festival with its sometimes masochistic rites.
Numerous long-tailed macaques live on the hill and around the caves , and they can be fed by visitors, but often just help themselves.
There is a certain dress code. Women are only allowed into the temple with their shoulders covered. In addition, women and men must have their knees covered. As a respect, this should also be observed. In a pinch, you can rent sarongs before climbing the stairs . Converted, these cost just under € 1.
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Coordinates: 3 ° 14 ′ 14.6 " N , 101 ° 41 ′ 2.1" E