Kallumalai Sri Subramaniyar Temple, Malaysia

Address

Kallumalai Sri Subramaniyar Temple, No. 140, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, 30300 Ipoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia Phone: 05-2415101, 05-2540291

Diety

Sri Subramaniyar

Introduction

Kallumalai Sri Subramaniyar Temple is Murugan temple located at Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. Lord Murugan (also known Kartikeya, Skanda, Kumara and Subrahmanya) is the Hindu god of war. This also explains why you can find a peacock enclosure at the rear of the temple. In Hindu mythology, a peacock is often depicted as the God of War’s mount. KallumalaiSri Subramaniyar Temple is a monumental seven-tiered and 21 metres high gopuram (entrance tower). It is magnificently ornate, consisting of 528 rich and colorful figurines. The temple interior has a large hallway supported by pillars and decked out with a wooden panelled ceiling. This corridor leads to the shrine, where an image of the temple’s presiding Deity, Lord Murugan, is mounted.

Puranic Significance

According to Legend, Marimuthu, a stonemason who used to work for Parit Munisami Udayar, was on his way to his work. Then he was stunned to hear a voice calling out to someone to come here. Again he was stunned to see the same voice coming from the mountain. He immediately reported the news to his boss Parit Munisami Udayar, who did not exaggerate it at first, then decided to see it and took his workers to the hill station. When they explored they found a cave surrounded by terrible darkness. When they went inside the cave with the fireballs, there was sambarani. Then they were amazed to see the image of Thirumurugan in stone. This was followed by the construction of the Subramanian Temple in 1889 in the stone cave of Kunong Sera. After the cave temple was converted into a place of worship for the people, the Maha Mariamman Temple at Sungaipari was converted into a single temple. From that day onwards, Thaipusam Kavadi offerings were taken from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple to Kallumalai Subramanian Temple. During the Thaipusam ceremony in 1926, two priests were killed when a large rock on the slope of Kunong Siro collapsed. Thus the government ordered the removal of the temple from there. So it was decided to renovate the temple and a new temple was built on the existing site. Kallumalai Kandan Temple, which was a cave until 1930, was built in 1932 as a tin roof hall with a tower with carvings. The consecration of the new temple took place at the end of 1932. After that maintenance work was carried out for this temple. The Thaipusam festival was very well celebrated. Not only Hindus from India but also people of other people started coming to this temple. Later Ganesha and Goddess shrines were set up with the financial help of many people and donations from devotees. Ganesha statues were also erected on the three sides of the tower. The entrance arch was also built with carvings at a cost of 6500 ringgit. Expansion work for the temple was carried out in 1970 and the consecration took place at the end of that year.

Beliefs

Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:- • Protection, Wisdom, Energy, Forgiveness for past deeds, Neutralize the malefic effects of Mars, Good Health

Festivals

Celebrated at Kallumalai Sri Subramaniyar Temple are, among other festivals, the Deepavali and Thaipusam. During Thaipusam, there will be a parade with lots of Kavadi (“Burden” Dance). The temple also observes Kanda Sashti on the new-moon day of the seventh Tamil month of Aippasi (October-November).