Enter The World Of The Batu Caves

April 16, 2014

The best thing to see in Kuala Lumpur is outside of it.

Encompassing limestone crevices, the Batu Caves are a giant Hindu shrine that climbs steep into the mountain, eight miles outside of Kuala Lumpur. Their natural beauty is abundant, but the most noticeable feature of the caves is the 140-foot tall statue of Lord Murugan looming over the entrance.

As soon as I saw a picture of the giant gold statue, I had to go. I was lucky to be staying with a friend with a car, so Azali and I drove to explore this wild place.

The Batu Caves feel like a completely separate world from KL. The colorful electronic pictures droning music, the chanting, the smells of incense and sweat; I was totally entranced by the sensory experience. The giant statue of Murugan is even crazier in person than in pictures– it is GIGANTIC.

The caves, carved into the limestone cliffs, are vast. We climbed the steep 272-step incline, sweaty and sore when we reached the summit; the air cools upon entering the caves and the shadows provide refuge from the hot Malaysian sun.

Monkeys skitter across the floor (though they stayed away from us, luckily; I’m not a huge fan of monkeys). Hazy light diffuses in through an opening in the roof. Unfortunately, the perimeter of the caves were filled with trash; Azali informed me that there had been a big celebration (of the Thaipusam festival) at the caves a week or two before, so it was likely left over from that. Still, it seemed like a shame that such a beautiful, fascinating place was filled with garbage.

There are seven ornate Hindu shrines within the caves and worshipers mingled there among the tourists. There’s a seriousness, a WEIGHT to the caves. It feels like stepping into a quiet, holy bubble. Batu Caves are not so far from Kuala Lumpur, but the contrast between the vast modern city and the intimate enclosed shrines of the caves was jarring, and welcome. Batu Caves let you enter a different world, at least for an afternoon.