Temple denies visitors forced to carry buckets up Batu Caves

The Sri Subramaniar Swamy Devasthanam Temple Committee today dismissed as untrue a viral social media allegation that visitors are forced to carry pails of construction material up the stairs to the Batu Caves hill-top temple that is undergoing renovation.

Its chairperson, R Nadarajah, said only volunteers had been carrying construction material up the 272 steps as part of their charitable cause since the end of last year.

“The activity invites people to do good and work together to help in the renovation of the place of worship. We appreciate those who are willing to help voluntarily. However, we understand that some people do not want to do it,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

A check by Bernama revealed that the iconic Batu Caves temple is undergoing renovation at the foothill, the stairs leading to the top of the hill and within the cave at the peak.

Visitors, including tourists, are encouraged to carry building material such as bricks or sand, stones, and cement in yellow pails to the hill-top temple.

Nellea Sari Wulandari, 25, a tourist from Indonesia, said it was her first visit to Batu Caves and she agreed to carry bricks to the cave temple atop the hill because it was a unique and exciting experience.

“Walking the 272 steps up to the cave is quite exciting. My visit has become most meaningful because I have indirectly done charitable work. However, I only did what I was capable of doing,” she said.

Rahul Sadana, 35, from India said it was a good idea to encourage people, especially Hindus, to contribute and be part of the ‘builders’ of the holy place and indirectly to serve and pay respect to their religion and God.

“I don’t see anything wrong with encouraging people to do this kind of thing. As Hindus, we believe that God will repay each person according to what they have done,” he said.

Malaysian S Mala, 43, said more signboards should be up to avoid any confusion.
“Some foreign tourists, especially those who do not know English, may misunderstand the whole thing and think that they must carry the construction material up the hill,” she said.

- Bernama