The Masjid Jamek in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is located at the meeting point of Gombak and Klang rivers. Opened to the public in 1909 by Sultan sire Alauddin Sulaiman Shah, then Sultan of Selangor, the Masjid Jamek is the oldest surviving mosque in Kuala Lumpur. Picturesquely surrounded by coconut palms, the mosque has been constructed to reflect Moorish architecture of the time period. Serene and beautiful, the mosque makes it hard to imagine you are right in the middle of one of the world’s fastest growing cities.

 

Before the Masjid Jamek was built, the Malay Burial Ground was located on site. It was the first Malay cemetery in Kuala Lumpur. Construction of the mosque required the buried to be exhumed, purified and transferred to the Gombak Muslim Cemetery after a prayer session. There’s no record of any protests from the public on this incident, most likely because it was done for religious purposes. The Masjid Jamek was architecturally designed by Arthur Benison Hubback, the assigned government architect of the time. The project cost 32,625 Malaysian Ringgitts, which was a hefty amount in the early 1900s, when the construction first began. The funds were raised by the government and the Malay community’s subscriptions.

 

Although the Masjid Jamek is represented in Moorish architecture, the actual inspiration came from the Mogul mosques in North India. The heavy brick walls and arched colonnades are topped by cupolas and minarets, while the prayer hall is surmounted by three domes. The central dome towers at 70 feet. The prayer hall used to open out onto a lovely courtyard, but now it’s completely roofed. There are two red and white striped minarets located on the two corners. These are identical in design to the umbrella-shaped cupolas on top. Several other small cupolas are located along the entrances and corners of the Masjid Jamek.

 

The Masjid Jamek served as the primary mosque in Kuala Lumpur until 1965, when the national Mosque was opened.

 

Visiting Kuala Lumpur and experiencing its multifaceted atmosphere doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. You can save a lot of money for activities and tours by staying at a discount hotel. Kuala Lumpur is a magnificent place to see history and modern times existing in harmony. If you are worried about expenses, check out the Citrus Hotel Kuala Lumpur for your accommodation needs. It’s not hard to find a good discount hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

 

 

 

The actual geographical structure of the Batu Caves in Malaysia is nothing to rave about, but its cultural significance lies in its Hindu Temple, which illustrates the sizeable contribution of the Indian community to the cultural traditions of Malaya. The caves are located about 12 km north of Kuala Lumpur in Gombak District. The oldest shrine is about 113 years old and sees about 1.5 million pilgrims annually, the temple is known as the most visited Hindu monument outside India.

 

The limestone caves are said to be over 400 million years old and is a system that encompasses about three main caves. The largest cave which is known as the Cathedral Cave has a ceiling which is about 100 meters high, this cave also holds a few ornate Hindu sculptures. It is believed that these temples were first inhabited by the indigenous Besisi and the caves were later discovered by an Indian trader called Pillai who also founded the Sri Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur. It is said that Pillai installed a sculpture of Sri Subramaniam Swami inside the cave which led to the formation of the Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Muruga.

 

Each an important Hindu festival known as Thaipusam is celebrated here during mid January. The festival is a celebration of the Hindu mythology where Lord Siva danced with his consort Uma and also signifies the movement of the moon through the star sign Cancer. The annual festival draws in millions of Hindu devotees from places as far away as Australia, India and Singapore.

 

The festival begins as a procession in the early hours of morning in Kuala Lumpur and ends at the Batu Caves, the devotees carry containers filled with milk and floral decorations known as Kavadi as offerings to the Lord Muruga. Devotees usually stop for a purifying bath at the Rocky River and resume their journey.

 

For tourists the Batu caves offer the dual attraction of being inhabited by the indigenous Besisi and being the home of Malaysia’s most important Hindu temple. The walkway up to the temple also offers scenic views of the surrounding lush rainforest and on clear days it is even possible to see beyond Kuala Lumpur’s suburbs towards the Bay.

 

Despite being located away from Kuala Lumpur’s city it is advisable for travelers to base themselves in a city hotel. A discount hotel in Kuala Lumpur that offers great access to the transportation network and shopping districts is Citrus Hotel Kuala Lumpur.