Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang

Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple
Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Location in Malaysia
Name
Other names	Waterfall Temple
Tamil	அருள்மிகு பாலதண்டாயுதபாணி கோயில்
Geography
Coordinates	5°26′03″N 100°17′45″E / 5.434044°N 100.295807°E / 5.434044; 100.295807Coordinates: 5°26′03″N 100°17′45″E / 5.434044°N 100.295807°E / 5.434044; 100.295807
Country	Malaysia
State	Penang
District	George Town
Locale	Waterfall Road, George Town
Culture
Primary deity	Murugan
Important festivals	Thaipusam,Chitra Pournami,Kantha Sasti, Peria Karthigai and Aadi Pournami
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian architecture
Number of temples	3
History and governance
Date built	1782
Creator	Penang Hindu Endowment Board
Website	Penang Hindu Endowment Board

The Balathandayuthapani Temple, officially the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil, and better known as the Waterfall Hill Temple or Hill Top Murugan Temple among local is consider one of the most oldest temple in George Town,Penang. The main deity of this temple is Murugan.^[1] Visitor need to climb 513 stair to reach the temple. It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia after the Batu Caves^[2] The hilltop temple, with its seven-storey 21.6m-tall gopuram (main tower), has been touted as the largest Lord Murugan temple outside India.

History

According to popular belief, a sadhu (holy man) chose a spot close to the waterfalls for a shrine dedicated to Murugan. The place was called thanner malai, meaning water hill, and the deity itself was known as Thannermalaian, or "he who resides by the waterfall".

By the early part of 1800 the shrine seemed to have been the focus of Thaipusam celebration, a festival dedicated to Lord Murugan.British records and local newspapers do mention of Hindu devotees celebration the festival. In 1850 with the increase of the local population, the British authorities decided to develop the area into a reservoir. They decided that the waterfall area and the immediate catchment area had to be protected. At the same time they did not want to upset the sentiments of the Hindu population. Therefore, they alienated an eleven acre hillside property for the location of a proper temple.

The Balathandayuthapani temple has undergone several major renovations. This is in keeping with the requirements of the Hindu religious tenets, that renovations be done for every mamangam, or 12-year cycle.

Over the years, as the number of devotees and worshippers increased, the Hindu Endowments Board found that the hilltop temple could no longer accommodate the numbers. This is especially true in the past decade, with more and more visitors converging on the temple particularly during the Thaipusam celebration.

The grand consecration ceremony (Kumbabishegam) of the newly completed Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani temple was held on 29 June 2012. Built at a cost of 10 million ringgit, this temple is said to be the largest Murugan temple outside India.^[3] The timeline of the temple :

1800 - The shrine became the focal point of Thaipusam Festival. Shrine located nearby waterfall at Penang Botanic Gardens.
1850 - Moved to new location.
2012 - A new bigger temple built.

Festival

The main festival celebrated in this temple is Thaipusam.It is one of the main events in Penang. On the eve of Thaipusam, a silver chariot with the statue of Lord Muruga is led on a procession, accompanied by Chettiar kavadis or devotees, carrying peacock feathers. The procession usually starts at 6.00am departing from Kovil Veddu (Temple House) at Market Street and travelling through Chulia Street, Victoria Street, Prangin Road Ghaut, C.Y. Choy Road, Magazine Road(KOMTAR), Datuk Keramat Road, Irving Road, Jalan Utama and Waterfall Road on its route. It reaches the Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple at Waterfall Road at about midnight, culminating a 15-hour journey . On the eve day, coconuts are smashed on the roads before the chariot to symbolise the shattering of one's ego in the pursuit of self-realization. In addition, devotees also make offerings of fruits, flowers and incense to the Lord Muruga in the Silver Chariot.On Thaipusam Day, devotees undertake a pilgrimage from the Lorong Kulit temple to the Thannirmalai Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple. It is located high on a hill. Carrying kavadis can be an act of penance or fulfilment of a vow done to develop spirituality. The kavadis can take the form of Paal Kudam (milk pots) as offerings to god or in the form of physical endurance by piercing the cheeks, tongue, or skin on the body with hooks and Vel skewers. The Thannirmalai Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple can accommodate up to 800,000 devotees for the annual Thaipusam Festival. Devotees need to climb over 500 steps to reach the hilltop temple. This is more than the 272 steps at the famous Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). Upon reaching the temple, devotees will fulfill their vows, offer thanksgiving prayers and penance to Lord Muruga.On the next day, the silver chariot with Lord Muruga makes a return trip to Kovil Veedu at Market Street from the Nattukottai Chettiar Murugan Temple . The return trip from the Waterfall temple lasts from 6.00 pm until dawn the next day. It takes a different route back, passing through Waterfall Road, Gottlieb Road, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Cantonment Road, Macalister Road, Anson Road, Burmah Road, Transfer Road, Sri Bahari Road, Penang Road, Campbell Street, Buckingham Street, Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling, Chulia Street, Queen Street, China Street, Beach Street and Market Street. On this day, the same activities that were carried out on the eve of Thaipusam are carried out again along the route of the procession.During this three-day celebration, one can find over 100 beautifully decorated stalls erected along Western Road and Gottlieb Road. These stalls sell traditional Indian goods, souvenirs, decorative items and snacks and refreshments. Thunderous loud music, singing, dancing and the beating of drums can be seen and heard from afar throughout the festival. This is a festival of rich culture and deep tradition in Penang.

References

↑ "Waterfall Hilltop Temple". Time Out Penang. 9 March 2014.
↑ Administrator II. "Thaipusam 2013 at the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple - The Largest Lord Murugan Temple outside of India". visitpenang.gov.my.
↑ Puravin. "Malaysian Temples". malaysiantemples.com.

Buildings	A Famosa Abidin Mosque All Saints' Church All Souls' Church Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple Cape Rachado Lighthouse Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Cheng Hoon Teng Christ Church Coliseum Theatre Church of St. Francis Xavier Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Dutch Fort Fort Cornwallis Governor's Museum Holy Spirit Cathedral Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Seri Menanti Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Jehan Chan Art Gallery Jubilee Clock Tower Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Laut Mosque Kapitan Keling Mosque Kek Lok Si Kellie's Castle Khoo Kongsi Kong Hock Keong Temple Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan Lebuh Aceh Mosque Macau Gallery Malacca Light Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum National Mosque of Malaysia National Textile Museum Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple One Fathom Bank Lighthouse DBKL City Theatre Penang Islamic Museum Perak State Museum Poh San Teng Temple Proclamation of Independence Memorial Pisang Island Lighthouse Undan Island Lighthouse Snake Temple Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Sri Aghora Veerapathra Temple Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Penang Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Temple Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple Stadthuys St. Anne's Church St. George's Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral St. John's Fort St. Paul's Church St. Peter's Church Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Suffolk House Sultanah Aminah Hospital Sultan Abdul Samad Building Taiping Hospital Tamil Methodist Church Thni Kong Tnua Wat Chayamangkalaram Wat Phothivihan

Memorials and monuments	Batu Tenggek War Memorial Cheras War Cemetery Hang Jebat Mausoleum Hang Li Poh's Well Hang Tuah's Well Kedah Royal Mausoleum Kelantan Royal Mausoleum Kuala Klawang Memorial Lord Murugan Statue Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum Heroes' Mausoleum Sultan Abdul Samad Mausoleum Tomb of Sultan Ali Tomb of Sultan Mahmud Shah II Malacca Warrior Monument Millennium Monument National Monument Old Protestant Cemetery Pahang Old Royal Mausoleum Penang Jewish Cemetery Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum Statue of Kuan Yin Taiping War Cemetery Kris Monument

Site	Batu Caves Fort of Smelly Monitor Lizard Chinese Hill Princess Hill Chinatown, Kuala Terengganu Fort of Ruins Fort of Ngah Ibrahim's Lenggong Malacca General Hospital Markets of Taiping Morib Penang Botanic Gardens St. Paul's Hill Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital Biru Seri Kundang Lake

East Malaysia

Buildings	Atkinson Clock Tower Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Kinarut Mansion Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan The Astana Tua Pek Kong Temple

Memorials and monuments	Bronze Globe of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau Brooke Memorial Chartered Company Monument Cho Huan Lai Memorial De Fontaine Memorial Double Six Monument Keningau Oath Stone Kundasang War Memorial World War II Memorial Last POW Camp Memorial Mat Salleh Memorial North Borneo War Monument Petagas War Memorial Quailey's Hill Memorial Rafflesia Monument Sandakan Heritage Trail Sandakan Massacre Memorial Sandakan Memorial Park Sandakan War Monument Starcevich Monument Tawau Japanese War Memorial Tun Mustapha Memorial Park William Pryer Monument

Site	Agop Batu Tulug Caves Batu Lawi Hill Batu Lintang camp Nunuk Ragang Queen Elizabeth Hospital Sandakan camp Sarawak General Hospital

Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang

History

Festival

References

See also