The world famous temple of Bhagwan Kartikeya in Batu caves, Malaysia

The tallest idol of Kartik swami 140 feet tall with a golden complexion

The 40 crore years old Batu caves situated near Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia

Priest of the Kartikeya temple who performed abhishek (consecration) with milk and a special puja for reestablishment of Ramarajya (Rama’s rule of righteousness) seen garlanding the Deity

The temple priest handing over the garland from the idol of Kartikswami and the prasad (Holy sacrament) from the abhishek to Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil

1. Malaydweep from ancient history of Bharat is the present Malaysia, a Hindu empire which was existing there till the 15th century

‘The region known as Malaydweep in ancient times is the present day Malaysia. Malaysia is a group of several islands. Many Sanskrut words are used in Malay language. ‘Ramayan’ and ‘Mahabharat’ verses are found in Malay literature. Till Islam invaded Malaysia in the 15th century the Majapahit and Shrivijay Hindu dynasties ruled for 1500 years. No evidence of the history of Malaysia is available anywhere prior to 2000 years.

2. 40 crore years old Batu caves in the Batu mountain

The Batu mountain range is situated 16 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malyasia. This cave made up of limestone found in this mountain according to scientists is 40 crore years old. 272 steps lead to this huge cave in which a 10-storeyed building can be constructed (see picture 2). The cave has three points through which sunlight enters.

3. The Batu mountain is the tenth in the world out of the ten mountain temples of Deity Kartikeya

After walking a distance of 100 meters in the cave is the temple of Kartikeya, the seat of devotion of Tamilian Hindus. There are ten mountains in the world with temples of Kartikeya out of which 6 are in Tamil Nadu in Bharat and 4 in Malaysia. This being the tenth one. In Tamil this is called ‘patu’ meaning ten. With passage of time the word patu got perverted to Batu. Hence now Malaysian Hindus refer to this as the Batu mountain and the Patu caves are called as the Batu caves.

4. History of the Batu caves

150 years ago the British took Tamilians from Tamil Nadu in Bharat and Sri Lanka to work in tea gardens in Malaysia. These people then settled in various parts of Malaysia. Mr. Tambuswami Pillai, one of them, was a devotee of Devi. Durga devi appeared in his dream and told him that the Batu caves is the sphere of penance of Kartik swami and asked him to build a temple for devotees here. Accordingly the very next day Mr. Pillai accompanied by some friends entered the Batu caves holding the weapon ‘vel’ of Kartikswami in his hands. Seeing his conviction the workers from neighbouring tea gardens assisted him and in 1891 built a small temple in the cave. The space in the cave is so extensive that upto 5 thousand devotees can perform puja simultaneously there.

5. Annual celebration in the temple of Kartik swami in Batu caves – Taipusam

The day Parvati devi handed over the weapon of ‘vel’ to Kartikeya is called ‘Taipusam’. It is in remembrance of this day that annually Taipusam is celebrated in the temple of Kartikeya in the Batu caves.

6. The tallest statue of Kartikeya in the whole world is at the foothills of the Batu mountain

There are steps leading to the Batu caves at the foothills of the Batu mountain. It is here that in 2006 the Hindus from Malaysia installed a 140 feet tall statue of Kartik swami with a golden complexion. This enticing statue of Kartik swami is His tallest statue in the whole world (see picture 1).

7. The priest from the temple performed a special puja for establishing Ramrajya when Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil visited the temple to pay obeisance to Kartik swami and the colour of the attire in which the Deity was draped matched the colour of the sari worn by  Sadguru (Mrs.) Gadgil exactly

On behalf of Maharshi Adhyatma Vishwvidyalay Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil accompanied by four seeker students visited Malaysia on a study tour. They visited the Batu caves to pay obeisance to Deity Kartik swami on 1.4.2018 at 9 am, accompanied by a seeker from Malaysia Mr. Punglendisenthiyappan. The priest from the temple perceived that some Saint has come from Bharat with the resolve of establishing Ramrajya and he spontaneously requested Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil to leave the queue and ushered her into the temple. Then he performed an abhishek with milk for Kartikeya for establishing Hindu nation and performed a special puja (see picture 3.) After the abhishek he dressed Kartikeya in new clothes. What is amazing is that the colour of the clothes in which the Deity was draped matched the sari worn by Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil exactly; even the pallu of both was of the same colour.

8. Student seekers realised that Kartik swami Himself was honouring Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil through the medium of the temple priest

After the puja the priest honoured Sadguru (Mrs.) Gadgil with a shawl and handed over a flower garland from the neck of Kartik swami and the prasad from the abhishek to her (see picture 4). The seeker students accompanying her on the study tour felt as if Kartik swami Himself had come there to honour her.’

– Mr. Vinayak Shanbag, Malaysia (April 2018)