Perhaps Malaysia is one of the most "overlooked" countries in the world by me. Somehow, all the time it turns out that I am passing through there and always have time for nothing. I visited Malaysia for the first time in 2008 and since then I have been there five times, but at the same time I have seen quite a bit: Kuala Lumpur, new capital countries, and quite a bit the far north of the country near the border with Thailand. Meanwhile, Malaysia is undoubtedly one of the most interesting countries asian s fantastic beautiful nature, excellent infrastructure and abundance historical monuments different eras. I just went there three weeks ago. again, arriving from Singapore and then flying from Kuala Lumpur to Vienna; spent a little less in Kuala three days, for which I actually walked around the city, see and also visited the best zoo in Malaysia (to be honest - a terrible disappointment and shame on the local sultans) and fantastic beautiful caves and Hindu temples in Batu, which became my most vivid impression of what I saw in Malaysia. Inside the huge karst cave 15 km west of Kuala Lumpur, a magnificent Hindu temple has been erected, this is real surrealism! And although the place is quite "tourist", I could not help but visit it and did not regret it a bit -
The path starts from the center of Kuala, do you see something on the right side of the photo that resembles a palace with white turrets? This is the old railway station of Kuala Lumpur, trains depart from there not only to the Batu caves, but also trains to Singapore and Thailand follow through it. Actually, main station located a little further, 10 minutes walk from the old one. Well, the train that you see on the engraved plan is the metro, which in some places is brought up -
We are "lucky", the rain does not subside in the morning -
And here is the train that will take you to the caves -
It takes about 25 minutes to drive and here is the final station, which can be seen from afar thanks to the huge statue of the god Hanuman -
In the same place, another hefty statue, by the way one of the largest in the world, is a statue of the Hindu god Murugan, the second son of Shiva, who is worshiped by most Indian Tamils. The statue is almost 43 meters high and is one of the largest statues in the world by definition. The photo does not show its size, but imagine a 16-storey building? Represented? Here is her height -
Anticipating the likely question of what wind brought the Indian Tamils to Malaysia, I will explain that they were brought here by the British, who ruled both here and in India since the 18th century. They were brought in following the principle of "divide and rule", because in the confrontation with the Malay sultans, the British needed to rely on someone. Hundreds of thousands of Hindus were happy to go to a new colony to get out of poverty and hopelessness in their own country. And on the part of the British, it was very reasonable to create in a Muslim region disloyal to them some newcomer diaspora, which, being in a hostile and alien environment, would certainly be loyal to the British crown. Currently, Malaysians of Indian origin make up about 10% of the population of 29 million Malaysians. By the way, according to the same scheme and for the same political and economic reasons, the British contributed to the migration to Malaysia of ethnic Chinese from the Hong Kong-Guangzhou region and now ethnic Chinese in this country make up 27% of the population. Another interesting fact is that it is the Indians and the Chinese who are the engine of the Malaysian economy, being the absolute majority in business and science. It is significant that, according to statistics, 70% of all Malaysians with higher education are ethnic Chinese and Indians, and this despite the fact that they are national minorities.
As one Chinese friend from Kuala Lumpur said, "Malaysia is a wonderful country, if only all the Malays, whose head is stuffed with radical Islam, were removed from it ...". The same person said that the Malaysian authorities oppress national minorities and do not allow the Chinese and Hindus into government bodies, and that to this day the Malaysian authorities, as a sign of support for the Palestinians, forbid their citizens to visit Israel, this is even written in their passports -
Considering the fact that almost 40% of the population of Malaysia are Hindus and Chinese, and almost half of them are also Christians by faith, such government jokes are incomprehensible and alien to them. Why would some person with a turban on his head (let's call him the President of Malaysia) and a callus on his forehead from the worship of Allah forbid me to go to holy Jerusalem to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher? Such an interesting conversation came out with a man. Not everything is so simple in this country warm sea and beautiful jungle.
p.s. By the way, just a year ago, the Malaysian government, under pressure from the United States and under the threat of economic sanctions, agreed to allow fellow citizens of the Christian faith to visit Israel without being imprisoned for it, as it was just a few years ago. A muddy story, for those who are interested, read the link.
But we will return to the caves of Batu -
Directly in front of the caves is one of the temples, there are six temples in total. There was just a ceremony
All these temples are quite new, there is no smell of antiquity here; Hindus chose the caves only in 1890, and temples appeared here even later, in the 20s of the last century -
Then we move up the rather tiring staircase built in 1920 -
Cave entrance -
Amazing, isn't it?
A kind of corner of India, and a pleasant corner, clean, without dirt and crowds of beggars. Forgive me, but for a long time I will still dream in nightmares -
No, well, absolutely without sitting on the pavement and eating with dirty hands right from the full, it’s impossible in any way -
Pigeons steal food from a rooster -
It's just fantastic! I have never seen anything like it before, although I have seen a lot of caves, starting from Carlsbadskaya in New Mexico with the Polish Wieliczka and ending with Skocan in Slovenia. Yes, I almost forgot little known in eastern Romania -
And then we decided to drive to the zoo, which was so much praised by tourists on the "Internet", the way there was by taxi -
The Kuala Lumpur Zoo turned out to be a severe disappointment, but I'll tell you about it next time -
Listen, in Malaysia they began to paste some stickers at the entrance? Previously, they just put a seal, but now it’s like this -
Kek Lok Si is a Buddhist temple in Penang which is one of the most famous temples on the island. It is said to be the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia and also an important pilgrimage center for Buddhists from Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore and other countries. South-East Asia. This entire complex of temples was built between 1890 and 1930. The main attraction in the complex is the striking seven-story Rama VI Pagoda (Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda) with 10,000 alabaster and bronze Buddha statues and the 36.57 meter tall bronze statue of Kuan Yin.
While visiting Malaysia's most popular cities, make sure to take the time to explore this outstanding landmark. Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism and traditional Chinese rituals merge into a harmonious whole, both in temple architecture and artwork, as well as in the daily activities of worshipers. In the literal sense, the name Kek Lok Si translates as "Heavenly Temple", "Temple clean land”, “Temple of Supreme Bliss”, and “Temple of Paradise”.
History of Kek Lok Si
The construction of the temple began in 1890 and was completed in 1905. It was inspired by Beu Ling, head monk of the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy on Pitt Street in 1887. Beu chose a spiritual place overlooking the sea in the hills of Ayer Itam and became the first abbot of the temple. The construction of the temple complex was sponsored by five leading Chinese business people of Penang, known as the "Hakki tycoons". The main hall, which was completed first, housed the shrine of Guanyin. There are statues of female goddesses - the Queen of Heaven, the Goddess of the Earth and the Goddess of Fertility. People compared this shrine to Western Amitabha and started calling it "Kek Lok Si". There are also many other temple chambers with majestic statues, including gilded Buddhas.
The Chinese consul in Penang reported the greatness of the temple to the Qing government. Thereafter, the Guangxu Emperor invited Beu Ling to Beijing in 1904 and bestowed upon him 70,000 volumes on "Psalms and other sacred works of Buddhism" and issued a decree appointing him "Chief Priest of Penang". Upon the return of the abbot to Penang, a royal procession was organized to the temple complex. Eminent Chinese dignitaries of Penang, in their royal mandarin attire, accompanied the abbot in this procession. In 1930, the seven-story main pagoda of Kek Lok Si Temple, the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda, was completed, 30 meters high. It combines a Chinese octagonal base with a Thai design and a Burmese spiral dome. Kek Lok Si represents a syncretism of ethnic and religious diversity in the country. There is big statue Buddha gift from King Bhumibol of Thailand. King Rama VI of Thailand laid the foundation for the pagoda.
In 2002, the 302-meter bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy Guanyin was completed and opened to the public. It replaced a previous white plaster statue that had been damaged by a fire a few years earlier. The bronze statue is located on the hillside above the pagoda. The statue is complemented by a three-story roofed pavilion 60.9 meters high with 16 bronze columns, which was completed in 2009. This is the most tall statue Guanyin in the world. One hundred statues of the goddess Kuan Yin, each 2 meters high, are set around main statue goddesses. However, its height was limited to avoid the shadow falling on the state mosque of Penang. In this temple also esv temple complex there is a large hydraulic bell that rings at frequent intervals. The temple is richly represented by wood and stone carvings. Each deity has a cushion in front of it, impressive scrolls and candles set in very attractive pendant lights.
Batu Caves is one of Malaysia's most popular attractions, visited by 1.5 million people every year. This is not only the most revered Indian shrine outside of India, but also a real natural wonder. The Batu Caves are located 13 km from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. How to get to this attraction, what clothes to choose and what should you pay attention to first of all? Answers in this article.
History reference
The Batu Caves formed naturally and have greatly changed over the 400 million years of their existence. Initially, representatives of the Besisi tribe lived in them, and the caves themselves were high limestone cliffs. Over time, under the influence of water currents and other natural factors, the rocks were washed out and peculiar through holes formed in the mountains.
The forest hid the caves from human eyes until the early 18th century. At this time, they were stumbled upon by the Indian merchant Tambusami Pillai, traveling through Malaysia, and it was he who became the founder of the temple dedicated to the god Murugan. For real famous caves Batu was made by the American naturalist Hornedey, who described them in one of his works in 1878.
After 14 years, this place began to hold a Tamil festival for pilgrims from all over the world, and in 1920 tourists were given access to the most high cave, attached to its entrance a long staircase with 272 steps. Like millions of years ago, today Batu is also affected by nature, which is why some caves become unsafe and closed to the public. If you want to see Malaysia as it was before our era, be sure to visit this unusual attraction.
Interesting fact! The caves owe their name to the river of the same name that flows in the neighborhood.
Structure
The Batu Caves occupy an area of over 2.5 km2 on the map of Kuala Lumpur. This is a complex of thirty hills of various sizes with deep internal formations, at the entrance to which you are greeted by a golden 43-meter statue of Murugan. In the high mountain Batu (over 100 meters) is the most visited temple cave in Malaysia and the whole world, where not only curious tourists from distant countries, but also faithful pilgrims come every day.
Important! Entrance to the Batu Temple Cave (Kuala Lumpur) is allowed only in appropriate clothing - covering the shoulders and legs above the knee.
The next largest, but at the same time the longest (2 km), is the Dark Cave, located at a height of 204 steps. It fully justifies its name, since the sun's rays never penetrate inside through its strong walls. An excursion to the Dark Batu Cave is sometimes interrupted by bats or awkward tourists who do not see one of the many bizarre columns and partitions behind the light of a flashlight. But do not worry - all travelers who want to walk along the dark corridors are given helmets without fail, so you can not only see unusual dungeons with magical stalactites, but also remember them.
The last major cave and temple of Batu is the cave of the protagonist of the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. A detailed biography of Rama with a description of his exploits and principles of life is written on its walls, and statues of various sizes are installed on special stands with beautiful illumination.
Vallurvar Kottam Batu Caves If the caves described above were mostly a creation of nature, then Vallurwal Kottam is a kind of art gallery with real works of art. Several statues of Hindu gods are kept here, the walls are decorated with frescoes and covered with quotes from the collection of aphorisms "Tirukkural" - one of the main books for the people of Malaysia.
In general, for a visit to four open caves Batu you will need about 4-5 hours without a road. You can enter for free only in the Temple, a ticket to the Dark costs 35 ringgit per person (25 ringgit for a child), to the Gallery and Rama's cave - ten and five ringgit, respectively. Opening hours of the complex: from 8 am to 8 pm.
How to get to the caves
The attraction is located within the capital of Malaysia, so to get here from other cities, you need to do at least one transfer. Directly from Kuala Lumpur to the Batu Caves can be reached by:
KL Sentral station - KTM train. most convenient and cheap way. Departure point - the central transport hub of Kuala Lumpur, KL Sentral station. You can only buy a ticket at the box office, saying that you are going to the Batu Caves station. Price - 2 ringgit.
- Bus from Kuala Lumpur to Batu Caves. Leaves the Puduraya Bus Terminal every half an hour from 7:30 to 18:30 and travels to the final 45 minutes.
- Taxi. The fare from the center according to the meter is 15 ringgit. It is better to agree with the driver in advance about the trip back, because in Batu itself, taxi prices are two to three times higher.
If getting to the Caves on your own is not so difficult, then there may be problems with the way back. First, stock up on coins, as the machines at the station where you can buy tickets do not accept bills or cards. Secondly, you will need a lot of patience to wait for a huge queue of tourists who cannot figure out such a complex mechanism and purchase a token. Thirdly, we advise you to get to Kuala Lumpur by taxi or walk to a nearby station and there you can safely take a bus or train.
Pay attention! Malaysia is a Muslim country, so here even in public transport certain rules apply. For example, most of the metro and trains in Kuala Lumpur have a pink carriage designed exclusively for Muslim women. Also in transport you can not smoke, eat, drink, bring pets and even hug. Violators are subject to large fines.
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Hindu Temple Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Hindu Temple is a unique religious building located in the city of Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia. Its patterned interiors in play of light resemble a changing mosaic of a kaleidoscope. It is considered the oldest church in the city: the main building was built in 1922.
The modern history of the unusual Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman temple begins in 2008. As a result of the reconstruction, the facade and interior of the building were lined with glass mosaics. In total, it took 500,000 pieces of multi-colored glass to decorate the temple - red, yellow, blue, green, blue and blue. Over one million dollars, received as donations from parishioners, was spent on a large-scale reconstruction. The work was completed in October 2009. And six months later, the temple, more reminiscent of a shining palace, entered the Malaysian Book of Records as the first and only glass temple in the world.
For tourists, the entrance to the temple of Arulmigu-Sri Rajakaliamman is allowed from 13:00 to 17:00 daily, except Monday. At the entrance you need to take off your shoes and leave your shoes on a special area. The entrance is free.
In Johor Bahru, in addition to the temple of Arulmigu-Sri Rajakaliamman, there are other interesting sights. Among them are the royal palace-museum of Sultan Abu Bakar, mosques, Buddhist temples, Roman Catholic churches, zoos, amusement parks and museums under open sky. 25 kilometers southwest of Johor Bahru, in the town of Nusajaya, is the Malaysian Legoland.
Johor Bahru - popular tourist destination. Despite the large number of hotels and guest houses, it is worth booking accommodation here in advance on weekends and peak dates. Because of a large number tourists arriving from Singapore during festivals and holidays, finding a free room in the hotels of the city can be problematic.
How to get there
Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Temple is located on Jalan Ungku Puan, in the central part of Johor Bahru. The city is located 326 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. You can get on the toll highway "North-South". Travel time is three hours.
The nearest airport to Johor Bahr is Senai Airport, located 24 kilometers northwest of the city. He accepts domestic flights from the cities of eastern and western Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuanton, Kuching, Sibu and Penang Island. You can get from Senai Airport from Johor Bahru by Causeway Link buses. Routes run directly to railway station and bus terminals. Travel time is about an hour. The schedule of bus routes, as well as the fare, can be found on the official Causeway Link website.
You can get to Johor Bahru from the Woodlands suburban area of Singapore (Woodlands MRT station; travel time from the center is 45 minutes). The distance between them is 13 kilometers. Johor Bahru and Singapore are connected by the Strait of Johor, through which a dam and two bridges are laid. Crossing them on foot is prohibited. During peak hours, it is best to use the less busy Second Link bridge.
The most convenient way to get from Singapore to Johor Bahru is by fixed-route taxis or Causeway Link buses (routes CW1-CW6). They run several times a day. The border crossing takes about an hour, not counting the travel time: at the checkpoints, passengers leave the bus with their belongings, pass through the migration services, and then board another bus and continue their journey. Be careful: you will have to drag things from bus to bus several times, so calculate your strength. In Johor Bahru, buses from Singapore arrive and depart from the Kotaraya II bus terminal.
Bus service connects Johor Bahru with other cities in Malaysia. Flights depart from the Larkin bus terminal, located five kilometers from the city center. Buses to Kuala Lumpur fixed-route taxis run from dawn to midnight. The ticket can usually be purchased on the day of departure, excluding weekends and public holidays. The bus terminal is open around the clock.
Location
The Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman temple is located in the city of Johor Bahru, in the Jahor Sultanate, in the south, near the border with.
Sri Mahamariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. Its feature is the original facade, made in the style of southern Indian palaces.
Located on the edge of the picturesque Chinatown district, the temple invariably attracts the attention of tourists.
Its amazing central tower, Raja Gopuram, which is adorned to its full height with many different figures, looks like a magical carved box made from a single piece of wood. Near it, I want to linger a little longer and consider all its many constituent elements, woven in some incomprehensible way into a single picture.
The tower has 228 figures, created and installed by sculptors from India in 1968, during the overhaul of the temple. Hindu gods, located on the five tiers of the tower, froze in different poses, illustrating scenes from the Ramayama epic. The work of the sculptors impresses with the filigree and extraordinary brilliance of the entire composition.
Inside the temple is no less beautiful than outside. Tiles brought from Italy and Spain, semi-precious stones and multicolored painting were used in its decoration. After the noisy streets of the capital, visitors find themselves in a haven of calm, freshness and coolness, filled with the smell of flowers, incense and incense.
