Murugan Statue, Batu Caves

바투 동굴 무루간 상

Batu Caves is a group of limestone caves and Hindu temples in Gombak, Selangor, about 13 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The caves are inside a hill about 325 metres tall. The main shrine is dedicated to the god Murugan, and the site is the focal point of the Tamil Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia.

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At a glance

Country: Malaysia
Location: Selangor, Malaysia
Built: 2006
Height: 42.7 m
Type: Statue

Quick answers

Where is Murugan Statue, Batu Caves?

Murugan Statue, Batu Caves is in Selangor, Malaysia.

When was Murugan Statue, Batu Caves built?

Murugan Statue, Batu Caves was built in 2006.

How tall is Murugan Statue, Batu Caves?

Murugan Statue, Batu Caves is about 42.7 m tall.

A golden statue of the Hindu god Murugan at the foot of 272 rainbow steps to a limestone cave temple.

In front stands a golden statue of Murugan, about 43 metres tall, which was unveiled in January 2006. It is among the tallest Murugan statues in the world and the tallest statue in Malaysia. A stairway of 272 steps climbs to the biggest cave temple, and in August 2018 the steps were repainted in rainbow colours. The name comes from the Malay word batu, meaning rock.

History

Indigenous Temuan people once used the caves as shelter. In the 1860s, Chinese settlers dug out bat droppings, called guano, to use as fertiliser. American naturalist William Hornaday visited in 1878.

An Indian Tamil trader named K. Thamboosamy promoted the caves as a place of worship. A temple to Murugan was finished in 1891, and the yearly Thaipusam celebrations began in 1892. Wooden steps were added in 1920, and the 272 concrete steps were built in 1940.

How the caves formed

The limestone is more than 400 million years old, but the caves formed much later, probably between 60 and 120 million years ago. Rainwater slowly dissolved the rock, leaving stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites rising from the floor. There are about 20 recognised caves, including four large ones with connected chambers.

Monkeys, bats and Thaipusam

The site is home to 21 species of bats, long-tailed macaques, which often beg for food, and a trapdoor spider found nowhere else. Each year Thaipusam brings thousands of people, many carrying a kavadi, a decorated frame carried on the shoulders as an offering. At the foot of the hill are painted caves of Hindu stories and a 15-metre statue of Hanuman.

Fun facts

The 272 steps were painted in rainbow colours in 2018.
The limestone rock is more than 400 million years old, but the caves formed much later.
The golden Murugan statue is about 43 metres tall and is the tallest statue in Malaysia.
The hill was once called Kapal Tanggang, meaning Si Tanggang's ship.