Homage to Hindu temples
THIS Saturday, Hindus all over the world celebrate Deepavali, the Festival Of Lights. Among the traditional rituals on the first day of Deepavali is taking an oil bath, putting on new clothes and going to the temple.

Many Hindu temples (koil in Tamil) are not only places of worship but tourist attractions as well. Before we take a tour of some Hindu temples in the Klang Valley, let’s trace the arrival of Hinduism in the country and the basics of Hindu temple architecture.

Hindu-Buddhist relics and chandi (temples) discovered in the Bujang Valley in Kuala Merbok, Kedah, indicate that Hinduism possibly arrived in the then-Malay peninsula around 100BC.

In fact, ancient Indian records give references to a wealthy land across the Bay Of Bengal as Savarnadvipa (Land Of Gold). This could possibly be the Malay peninsula which was also known to Westerners as the Golden Chersonese.

However, another theory postulated that Hinduism spread from the Srivijaya Empire in Sumatra to the peninsula during the 7th Century.

Whatever the case, Hinduism set its roots here and, over time, temples were built in rubber plantations, villages, towns, caves and hills. Today, there is an estimated 17,000 Hindu temples (source: hindusangam.org.my) across the country.

Basically, the architecture of Hindu temples exhibits several basic characteristics though there are differences between those from north India and south India.

Temple Architecture

The plan of a Hindu temple corresponds roughly to the human body, with the gopuram (tower gate) symbolising the feet. The garbagraham (inner sanctum) which houses the main deity, corresponds to the head.

Visitors are usually not allowed into the garbagraham, which is crowned by a tower-like shikhara (Sanskirt word meaning mountain peak). The shikhara of south Indian temples is usually pyramid-shaped and consists of horizontal layers. On the other hand, the shikhara of north Indian temples resembles an upturned cone that is consecutively decorated with more miniature conical shikharas. South Indian temples also feature a decorative gopuram.

Sri Maha Thurkai Amman Temple

Located in Rawang, 45 minutes’ drive from Kuala Lumpur, the Sri Maha Thurkai Amman Temple has a low profile but is nevertheless, an impressive structure.

It’s not too easy to find though. If you’re coming from KL, drive along Jalan Ipoh until you reach the 16km in Rawang. As you approach an overhead bypass, turn left. There is a traffic light at the first junction. Turn right again and proceed along Jalan Kuala Garing for one km. After passing a few schools, you will see the temple on the right.

Visitors are greeted by a magnificent arch with steel gates. On one side of the main entrance, a statue of the sword-wielding Sri Mathurai Veeran stands guard.

The layout of the temple is trapezoid in plan. Within the walled compound are several shrines housing images of various Hindu deities. These stand at over 6m tall.

In the compound to the left, there are statues of the following goddesses: Sri Varaki with a head of a boar, the eight-armed Sri Sarawathi playing a sitar, the 10-armed Sri Gayathiri Devi and the eight-armed Sri Prathangara Devi sitting on a lion.

More images of other deities can be found in the right courtyard. Colourful painted scenes from Hindu mythology adorn both the interior and exterior walls of the temple. Inside, the floor, laid with cool maroon-coloured marble, exudes a feeling of elegance.

In the inner sanctum you will find the image of the main deity, Gurga Devi, flanked by Lord Ganesh and Lord Murugan.

Sri Sivan Temple

Another temple that is set to be a stunner is the Sri Sivan Temple on Bukit Gasing. Though officially closed to the public at the time of writing, I managed to get inside by seeking permission from the priest, who speaks a little Bahasa Melayu as he comes from India.

Perched atop a cliff, the temple commands a panoramic view of Petaling Jaya. There is a fountain in its front courtyard and stone images of deities are lined along its perimeter wall, which is adorned with a dragon and a five-headed cobra. The roof of the main prayer hall is decorated with a colourful Rangoli-like painting. This temple is set to be a big tourist attraction when it opens its doors to the public.

Getting there involves turning into Jalan 5/64 from Jalan Gasing. You will be greeted by a locked aluminum gate but a humble request to the temple priest may get you inside.

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

The grand old dame of Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur is without doubt, the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S. Lee. It was originally founded in 1873 as a thatched-roofed structure near the former KL Railway Station. It moved to its present location in 1885.

Two years later, the structure was demolished and replaced with a brick-and-mortar building that had undergone renovations a few times. The elaborate 22.9m gopuram (tower entrance) has 228 idols and was created by the famous Tamil sculptor, the late S.T. Muniappa. The image of the main deity, Sri Maha Mariamman, is housed in the garbagraham.

Outside the temple, stall keepers sell garlands of scented flowers and sweetmeats. Every Thaipusam, the temple’s silver chariot, carrying statues of Lord Murugan and his consorts (Valli and Teivayanni), makes the 13km-long journey to the temple in Batu Caves, 15 kms north of Kuala Lumpur. The ornate chariot, made in India in 1983, using 350kg silver and has 240 bells and a pair of silver horses.

Subramaniam Swamy Temple

Another Hindu place of worship that needs little introduction is the Subramaniam Swamy Temple in Batu Caves, KL. The main cavern in the caves houses the Subramaniam Swamy Temple, built in 1891.

Commonly called the Temple Cave, it measures 100m high and 80m long, and has a gaping hole in its ceiling. Devotees and visitors climb up to the temple cave via a concrete stairway consisting of 272 steps.

At the foot of the stairway is a huge golden statue of Lord Murugan, towering 42.7m high, completed in 2006. Tourists will also be interested to visit the Art Gallery Cave which contains dozens of colourful images of Hindu deities and wall paintings of Hindu mythology. The path leading there takes visitors past a koi-filled pond.

Literature buffs should not miss the Poet’s Cave where works of famous Hindu poet Thiruvalluvar are displayed on the walls. Watch out for monkeys and pigeons which roam freely in the compounds of the temple complex to look for food.

Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple

This temple in Kampung Kasipillai is unique as it is the only north Indian Hindu shrine in Kuala Lumpur. There is no tower-entrance that 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, dominates. The main prayer hall is filled with statues of deities.

To get there, travel from Jalan Raja Laut to Jalan Ipoh. Pass the Dynasty Hotel and proceed until you see Jalan Kasipillai on your left. Turn left, and follow the signs.

Other Temples

Another temple that never fails to impress with its ornate tower-entrance is the Sri Kandasamy Temple in Lorong Scott in Brickfields, dedicated to Lord Subramaniam. Constructed in 1902, it is of Sri Lankan origin, and its Dravidian architecture is inspired by the Nallur Kandasamy Temple in Jaffna in Sri Lanka.

In Sentul, Ahthi Eeswaran Temple in Jalan 7, off Jalan Sentul, is also worth a visit.