हिन्दी TEMPLE

Kuala Lumpur is a unique metropolis in terms of religion, as visitors of all major faiths have little difficulty in finding a place of worship. For Hindu tourists from both out-station as well as overseas, there are a few temples that are must-visits. For non-worshippers, the main lure of visiting such temples is to admire the gopuram (tower-entrance) which is sculptured with tier-after- tier of images from Hindu legend and mythology. The profusion of colourful figurines is simply mind-boggling! The structure of a Hindu temple corresponds roughly to the human body, and the gopuram symbolises the feet. The garbagraham (inner sanctum) corresponds to the head, and houses the main deity.

Already a popular tourist attraction as well as a place of worship, the Sri Maha Thurkai Amman Temple officially opened in early September 2005. Located in Rawang, the temple is one hour's drive from Kuala Lumpur. From the city, travel along Jalan Ipoh until the 16th kilometre in Rawang. As you approach an overhead bypass, turn left, which has a traffic light at the first junction. Then turn right and proceed along Jalan Kuala Garing for one kilometre. The temple is on the right side of the road.

Visitors are greeted with a magnificent arch flanked by two Hindu deities. The main entrance of the temple building is "guarded" by the sword-wielding Sri Mathurai Veeran, Sri Sangil Karuppana Swami and Sri Vetta Karuppana Swami, both seated atop a charging steed each. The layout of the temple is trapezoid in plan, and its walled compound has several shrines housing images of Hindu deities standing more than 6m in height. As you stroll along the left compound, catch sight of the following goddesses: Sri Varaki with a head of a boar, the eight-armed Sri Sarawathi playing a sitar, the ten-armed Sri Gayathiri Devi and the eight-armed Sri Prathangara Devi sitting on a lion. More images of other deities are found on the right courtyard. Painted colourful scenes from Hindu mythology adorn both the interior and exterior walls of the temple building, and the maroon marbled floor inside exudes sheer elegance. In the inner sanctum of the temple, stands the image of the main deity Gurga Devi, who is flanked by Lord Ganesh and Lord Murugan.

The grand dame of Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur is arguably the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S. Lee. It was originally founded in 1873 and renovated a few times. The elaborately decorated gopuram (tower entrance) is a sight to behold, and inside the shrine are images of deities embellished with precious jewels. During Thaipusam, a chariot in the temple makes a long journey to Batu Caves, 15 km north of Kuala Lumpur. Outside the temple are stalls selling garlands and sweetmeats.

Discovered in 1891 by American explorer Wlliam Hornaby, Batu Caves is home to the Subramanian Swamy Temple, tucked in a massive cavern measuring 100m high and 80m long. Access to the cavern is by climbing a concrete stairway consisting of 272 steps. Of more interest to tourists is the Art Gallery Cave which contains dozens of images of Hindu deities. Literature buffs should not miss the Poet's Cave -- its walls has displays of the works of the famous Hindu poet Thiruvalluvar. Monkeys and pigeons roam freely in the compounds of the temple complex. The attention-grabber is the 43 metre-high golden statue of Lord Murugam in the grounds of the complex.

Another temple that never fails to impress with its ornate tower-entrance is the Sri Kandasamy Temple in Jalan Scott in Brickfields. Established in 1902, it is of Sri Lankan origin. In the district of Sentul, Ahthi Eeswaran Temple at Jalan 7, Off Jalan Sentul is also worth a visit.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Kampung Kasipillai is unique as it is the only North Indian Hindu shrine in the Kuala Lumpur. There is no tower-entrance which typifies South Indian temples; instead two towers composed of multi-domes crown its roof. Ornamentation inside the building consists of non-figurative carvings in marble, and saffron, which is considered a sacred colour, predominates.

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