How time flies, it has been just over 1 year since Malaysia started all the limited movement control to stem the Covid-19 pandemic, and after 1 year, we are still in a semi movement control rule, where very limited travel is allowed, and sites that depend on visitors are still generally really really quiet.
This is a few days ago, when I went to explore one of the most important attractions and pilgrimage site for Hindus, which is Batu Caves temple (https://goo.gl/maps/jotEht8safSHunG6A ), about 15km outside of main Kuala Lumpur city.
Some basic information about Batu Caves. It houses the tallest Murugan statue in the world (approx 43 meters high), which is built using concreted and covered in gold paint. A visitor needs to climb 272 steps from the base to the entrance of the main cave complex that houses the main temple. The cave itself is a natural limestone cave, said to have formed over hundreds of million of years ago.
[Pictures above & below] - A very lonely sight indeed. This is towards a weekend evening. Almost no one in sight. When no humans are around, hordes of pigeons gather bringing back the natural setting, seemingly untouched by humans. It’s an uncanny sight, to have one of the most crowded places, almost empty.
[Picture below] - After climbing up the 272 steps into the main natural limestone cave, there is a sense of lonely eeriness. Almost empty cavern complex, feels ethereal as incense smoke wharfs up into the chamber from the main temple.
[Picture below] - A short walk and passing the main temple to the left, I walked towards the inner sanctum. The quietness, broken only by the occasional flutter of wings of pigeons. Even the once noisy temple monkeys are no longer in sight when I came.
[Picture below] - The inner sanctum temple. Quiet and peaceful. Lit by the natural light from the opening of the cave complex above.
[Picture below] - Then the silent stillness was broken by the ringing of the temple bell for prayer time.
[Picture below] - A very quiet evening, even for the temple. The priest chanting, reverberating throughout the entire cave complex. Amazingly peaceful without any human chatter. I just feel all places of worship should be as peaceful like this.
[Picture below] - Glancing up to the ceiling, revealing the opening of the natural cave complex, letting in light and rain.
[Picture below] - A photo of one the natural cave walls formed over millions of years.
[Old Picture below] - A photo taken over 1 year ago, in early 2020, before the pandemic. See how much 1 year has done. This place used to be packed with devotees every single day. Notice the throngs of people climbing up the steps into the cave temple complex.
1 year into the pandemic, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hopeful vaccination for all, and hopefully more flexibility for people to travel and visit, bringing back visitors to all the places of interests around us.
Have you visited any important attractions lately and noticed the stark difference 1 year ago and now? Share in your own post.
