Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor · 3.2379°, 101.6841°
The great Murugan shrine of the Tamil diaspora: a limestone cathedral-cave reached by 272 rainbow-painted steps beneath the world's tallest Murugan statue (42.7 m, gilded 2006). At Thaipusam over a million devotees carry kavadi burdens and milk pots up the stairs — the largest Hindu festival gathering outside South Asia.
Founder Thamboosamy Pillai, struck by the cave mouth's shape — the point of Murugan's vel — installed the deity in 1891; the god of Tamil hills thus claimed a Malaysian hill, and indentured-labour descendants made it their Palani across the sea.
13 km north of KL; KTM Komuter Batu Caves station at the foot.
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Modern (diaspora)