One of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, the Batu caves are a series of caves and cave temples in the Gombak district of Malaysia. It is a limestone hill that takes its name from the Sungai Batu or the Stone River flowing close to it. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Muruga.
What makes Batu special is that it is one of the four shrines of Lord Muruga in the country. The others are Kallumalai Temple in lpoh, Tanneermalai Temple in Penang and the Sannasimalai Temple in Malacca.
Historical evidences suggest that the caves are at least 400 million years old. Their entrances were known to have been used as shelter by the indigenous people.
The Batu cave complex comprises of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The Temple cave is the biggest that features highly decorated shrines. To reach the site one has to climb 272 steep steps. The Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave are the other two.
