Batu Caves

Today was my 22nd wedding anniversary and we celebrated it at Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur. Batu Caves is a series of large limestone caves some of which are still growing. The base of Batu Caves is home to a large sculpture of a Hindu god, Lord Subramaniam, and the Swamy Subramaniam Temple. As we passed Lord Subramaniam and began climbing the 272 colorful stairs, many aggressive macaque monkeys were running, jumping, begging, and stealing and eating food on the stairs and railings around us. It was quite entertaining although a little nerve racking as the stairs were steep and somewhat uneven and the monkeys have been known to bite people. Since we arrived early, it wasn’t that crowded, which was nice. It was hot and humid as it usually is in KL, but overcast, so not as hot. Souvenir stands abounded at both the top and bottom of the long staircase. At the very top of the main cave, the macaques were having a grand time finding and eating food as well as climbing on a forested portion of the cave walls, even throwing coconut halves onto the ground from above (a little scary). There were a number of places where Hindus could stop and pray to Lord Subramaniam in the temple alcoves nestled into the limestone caves.

On the return journey down the staircase, we stopped and took a short guided tour through the Dark Caves. They leant us ‘torches’ (flashlights) and took us along a cement pathway. This cave is home to about 250,000 bats, some fruit and some insect eating bats as well as some indigenous spiders, a centipede, and millions of cockroaches (yuk!) Down at the bottom of the stairs, a Hindu wedding was taking place. We stayed to watch for several minutes. 

Lord Subramaniam at Batu Caves

macaques eating ceremonial flowers 

Lord Subramaniam

colorful steps at Batu Caves

honoring Lord Subramaniam at Swamy Subramaniam Temple at Batu Caves

inside Batu Caves

macaque and baby at Batu Caves

resting after climbing 272 steep steps

wedding decorations at Batu Caves

shoes left outside of wedding celebration

Ganesh

22nd anniversary celebration at Batu Caves

Gabe and Joe with hungry macaque