After a lapse of like 4 years, went again to Kuala Lumpur's famous limestone caves...the Batu Caves, long considered a sacred place for the Hindu.
Comprising 3 main three main caves and a number of smaller ones, the caves are made of limestone and 400 meters long and 100 meter high and were discovered in 1892. After climbing what seemed like ages, the 272 steps...and mind you, they are steep, we 2 gals were like almost out of breath.
Imagine many Indians, clad in their traditional gear, and walking barefooted up these steps. I wish I had my camera with me, but so happened, had lent it to a friend's who's probably backpacking in Thailand right this monent. There was even a man and woman who were carrying like a sugar cane shoot, one walking in front and the other at the back, and in the middle of this sugar cane, was a tiny little baby wrapped in a crib made of yellow cotton. All of them were in yellow, in fact.
Going into the second cave, we were later greeted by chanting from a group of people bare-backed and sitting cross-legged on the floor. Here, the family we saw earlier, was preparing their baby for holy prayers, perhaps to celebrate its birth. A holy man was like giving each devotee a spoonful of holy water and blessing them each time. It was interesting, enchanting and inspiring.
Over a flaming torch, a lady stood in a trance-like posture, her head bent like 20% degrees, as if immersing herself in the mystical rituals ahead of her.
At the third cave, scores of monkeys crouched suspiciously at the grooves of the cave. A lone monkey went around with hand outstretched, asking for bananas, venturing into a small temple where devotees were sitting down. He was lucky, managing to wrangle about 3 bananas and enjoying his feast, peeling delicately at the golden flesh.
I will definitely be back...within a few weekend!
Comprising 3 main three main caves and a number of smaller ones, the caves are made of limestone and 400 meters long and 100 meter high and were discovered in 1892. After climbing what seemed like ages, the 272 steps...and mind you, they are steep, we 2 gals were like almost out of breath.
Imagine many Indians, clad in their traditional gear, and walking barefooted up these steps. I wish I had my camera with me, but so happened, had lent it to a friend's who's probably backpacking in Thailand right this monent. There was even a man and woman who were carrying like a sugar cane shoot, one walking in front and the other at the back, and in the middle of this sugar cane, was a tiny little baby wrapped in a crib made of yellow cotton. All of them were in yellow, in fact.
Going into the second cave, we were later greeted by chanting from a group of people bare-backed and sitting cross-legged on the floor. Here, the family we saw earlier, was preparing their baby for holy prayers, perhaps to celebrate its birth. A holy man was like giving each devotee a spoonful of holy water and blessing them each time. It was interesting, enchanting and inspiring.
Over a flaming torch, a lady stood in a trance-like posture, her head bent like 20% degrees, as if immersing herself in the mystical rituals ahead of her.
At the third cave, scores of monkeys crouched suspiciously at the grooves of the cave. A lone monkey went around with hand outstretched, asking for bananas, venturing into a small temple where devotees were sitting down. He was lucky, managing to wrangle about 3 bananas and enjoying his feast, peeling delicately at the golden flesh.
I will definitely be back...within a few weekend!
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