Went for a climb yesterday!
I went for a climb in Batu Caves which has 272 steps to the top. It was a twenty minute trek up. Monlam and Pastor Loh Seng Piow came along with me.
Batu Caves is a very beautiful Hindu Temple in the caves. The caves are huge and they have nice Indian veg restaurants nearby. It is a huge tourist attraction. I love Hindu temples as I can feel so much devotion, faith and effort from the people who go to worship. The temples themselves are so beautiful… I love the holy images inside representing the many facets of divinity… stunning… I really love the way Indian people worship..so rich and a 5,000 year tradition alive and well. Wonderful.
Many people go to pay respects, climb the stairs for health and also enjoy the beautiful Indian-Malaysian culture.
Last night we witnessed a tradtional Hindu wedding by chance with the groom, bride, family… it was such a treat to see such a rich culture alive today and in the temple. Hindu weddings are so spiritual as everything is done in the temple. I felt honoured to witness a ceremony of spirituality and love.
Tsem Rinpoche
Lord Murugan’s statue at Batu Caves (June 22, 2011)
Me and Monlam… He was very helpful as I climbed down 272 steps…
Pastor Loh Seng Piow also very helpful and we fed dogs nearby after our walk up and down.
Reaching the top after 272 steps
Having a cooling coconut juice in the vegetarian restaurant after climbing up and down 272 steps! Nearby the caves and temples are nice friendly restaurants…..
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Went the next day again and called a few people to join me…..
Here we are again and with friends….
James…. healthy and fit for the climb
Jean Mei, Pastor Loh Seng Piow, Me, Monlam, Jean Ai and Paris (Jamie Khoo)…
They just effortlessly climbed up the 272 flights of stairs to the top chatting, laughing, joking and no shortness of breath whatsoever… while me, it was the opposite… hehehe… but it was fun. After the climb we all went for a 40 mins fast walk… and afterwards we went to have a light snack and I had a healthy Greek Salad with Vegetable Wrap..I ate a little of the wrap which was good and gave the rest to Pastor Loh Seng Piow because I have Quinoa waiting for me at home which I like alot…
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Dear Rinpoche,
You wouldn’t believe it. Today is the last day for me to make a comment on Rinpoche’s blog weekly and the first article I scrolled is this.
Coincidentally, this morning I went to Batu Caves with my family as my sister came back from Korea visiting my mum. Yesterday, I went with my eldest to Pastor David Lai’s teaching on the Three Principal Paths : Renunciation in KFR, the first teaching in Preparing For Tantra series. Then this morning, when we came back to the my mum’s house, my sis suggested Batu Caves.
Rinpoche, Batu Caves now has colourful stairs, a lot more coconuts stalls compared with last time, much cleaner and drawing throngs of visitors yearly. I’m fascinated with their spirituality. You can see many of the spiritual aspirants walk barefoot up to the hill, carrying milk, flowers and etc. So beautiful.
That’s the place where Kecharians promoted DS yearly too. 😅
1984 Los Angeles-Left to right: Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, monk assistant to Zong Rinpoche and the 18-year-old Tsem Rinpoche prior to ordination. Read more- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/me
I was walking past a second hand shop on Western Ave selling old things. They had a Japanese-style clay Buddha which was beige in colour on the floor, holding the door open. I thought the shopkeeper would collect a lot of negative karma without knowing if he kept such a holy item on the floor as a doorstop. So I went in to talk to him, but he didn’t look like he wanted to talk or that he even cared. So I asked him the price and he said US$5. I purchased it so he did not collect more negative karma. I was 17 years old and that was in 1982.
I escorted my new Buddha home and washed it lightly and wiped it. I placed it on my altar and was happy with the Buddha. I would do my meditations, prayers, sadhanas, mantras and prostrations in front of this shrine daily. When I left for India in 1987, I could not bring this Buddha along and gave it to a friend. It was a nice size and I made offerings to this Buddha for many years in Los Angeles. In front of the Buddha I placed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s photo. I remember I was so relieved that the price was affordable. But US$5 that time was still expensive for me but worth it I thought. But I was happy to have brought the Buddha home. Tsem Rinpoche
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Tsem Rinpoche at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong, Malaysia
It’s so close by, tourist from all over the world come to see it, but yet locals skip it for a visit to far away places, thinking they could do it anytime. Sad fact but I have foreign friends who have been to more places in Malaysia than I have. I must have visited Batu Caves as a small child eons ago, since I have very little recollection of it. But yes I definitely have been there and that was long before the huge Lord Muruga was erected outside. I had a pic taken of my sis and I on a bridge over a huge turtle pond. That reminds me to go again soon, and bring the kids who would be there for the first time!
Sounds like fun…. Must put it on my to do list when I come to stay at Kechara. My holidays are booked for October around Rinpoche’s birthday. I know… we could have a birtday picnic ?? hehe
The young people should run up the 272 steps !
Batu Cave is the first thing I visited when I arrived in Malaysia in 1996, it was during the Thaipusam festival and I went at night. It took me 2 hours (with an IMMENSE crowd) to go up the steps and another 2 hours to get down, I remember getting back home passed 4am that day with a lot of sights I never thought I’d see in real life. I went again and again with visiting friends, I remember my mother who’s handbag was coveted by monkeys while we were climbing the steps up to the cave. It’s an amazing place, all Kuala Lumpurien’s should visit it.
I don’t remember visiting Batu Caves as a child, I don’t think I have ever visited Batu Caves and I live in PJ my whole life! Pretty sad case huh? I really should go explore more, especially to holy places which is so readily available all around Malaysia. 🙂
I have been once only to Batu Caves some 12 years ago…..and with my 2 little monster kids then….:-)
It is actually nice to walk up the stairs in Batu Cave, we city dwellers are always working at the computer, got stuck on the chair and even make an imprint on the cushion….that is how long we sometimes sit doing work.
I heard climbing up stairs is a very good exercise,and in Batu Cave we can also pay homage to the hindu deities, feed the stray dogs on the way….very nice.
We should gather a stairs-climbing competition for Kechara and see who is the fittest and who is not!!!
Nice pictures, and the same dress as me:-D Ven Rinpoche.
I remember visiting Batu Caves as a child. Haven’t been there for a looooooong time. Will be nice to make a trip one day!
hehehehehehehe I have to say this is the cutest thing ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Much love!!!!!!!
Of the many many years I have been living in KL, I have not stepped near to this temple at all even though I drive pass by it on the way to Genting Highlands. I will definitely make it a point to go there and attempt that long flight of steps to get to the top. A great way to exercise and to enjoy the sights. Yay!!
What a beautiful statue of Lord Murugan…cool caves as well!!
pretty. that juice looks good