The History of Batu Caves

The History of Batu Caves The Batu Caves is all made up of limestone, as we can see when we are inside the cave or even driving on the highway crossing Batu Caves. The limestone is said to be around 400 million years old the limestone forming Batu Caves is. Some of the cave entrances were used as shelters by the native people. Batu Caves became famous only after the limestone hills were recorded by colonial authorities including Daly and Syers as well as American Naturalist, William Hornaday in 1878.

The history of Batu Caves all started in the year of 1891 when Mr. K. Thamboosamy Pillai, who were one of the founders that also founded the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Dhevasthanam, Kuala Lumpur, on top of that he send his associates that is Sri Thiruvengadam Pillai and Sri Kanthapa Thevar to do a research for an suitable place of worship for Lord Sri Murugan.

It was in that year, that the influential descendant of Indian immigrants from Tamil Nadu, India, Mr.K. Thamboosamy Pillai installed the ‘murti’ or consecrated idol of Lord Murugan in the 400 ft high Temple Cave. At the following year ahead, the Thaipusam festival in the Tamil month of Thai during the month of January to February has been celebrated there as the annual festival of Batu Caves. In addition to that, the steps to go up the Batu Caves was all wooden steps up an it was built in the year of 1920 and have since been replaced by 272 concrete steps.