The Batu Caves Temple, located fifteen kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, is the most important Hindu pilgrimage site in Southeast Asia. Dedicated to the Hindu deity Muruga, the temple is visited by several million pilgrims each year.
Muruga, also known as Kartikeya, Skanda and Subramaniyam, is the son of Shiva (the generator, protector and destroyer of the universe) and Parvati (the Hindu goddess of fertility, love and devotion), the younger brother of elephant-headed Ganesh, and a philosopher-warrior.The Batu caves are part of a craggy limestone massif, estimated to be 400 million years old, known as Bukit Batu (meaning Rocky Hill).Rising almost 100 m above the ground, the Batu Caves temple complex consists of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The biggest, referred to as Cathedral Cave or Temple Cave, has a very high ceiling and features ornate Hindu shrines. To reach it, visitors must climb a steep flight of 272 steps.
