The Mahamariamman Temple in Queen Street and the Sri Rama Temple in York Close are two of the oldest Hindu temples in Penang. Just about as old is the Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan Temple in Penang Hill. All these temples began as small shrines which were enlarged into temples over time. As one of the places in Southeast Asia where Thaipusam is celebrated on a big scale, Penang also see several Hindu temples associated with this festival, especially those located around the Penang Botanical Gardens.
The Balathandayuthapani Temple, officially the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil, and better known as the Waterfall Hill Temple or Hill Top Murugan Temple, is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Penang. It was originally located within the grounds of the Penang Botanical Gardens.
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".This original site is as old as the founding of George Town itself. It was the site of the Balathandayuthapani temple until 1850, when the authorities took over the area to establish the Botanic Gardens Reservoir. That was when the temple moved out, leaving at its original site a small shrine.
Map of the temple (click here)
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 (other feast days of smaller scale include the Chitra Pournami, Kantha Sasthi, Thirukarthigai and Aadipournami).
Arulmigu Karumariamman Temple, Seberang Jaya
Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Waterfall Road
Arulmigu Ganesar Temple, Waterfall Road
Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple Penang, Waterfall Road
Nagarathar Sivan Temple, Jalan Dato Keramat
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Queen St
Sri Muneeswarar Temple, Jalan Baru Butterworth
Sri Kamatchi Amman Temple, Jalan Dato Keramat
Sri Kunj Bihari Temple, Penang Road
Sri Muneeswaran Kuil Waterfall Road,
Sri Meenakshi Amman Kovil, Simpang Ampat
Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Kovil, Waterfall Road
Sri Munesswaran Kovil (new), Telok Bahang
Sri Radha Krishna Temple, Seberang Jaya
Sri Thandayuthapani Kovil, Jawi
Sri Thandayuthapani Kovil, Bukit Mertajam
Sri Sangilikarrupar Kaliamman Temple, Butterworth
Sri Sakthi Vinayagar Kovil, Fettes Park
Sri SingamugaKaliamman Kovil, Telok Bahang
Sri SivaShakti Durgaiamman
Sri Raja Mariamman Temple, Kampung Jawa Baru Road
Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, Lorong Kulit
Sri Karumariamman Temple, Dhoby Ghaut
Sri Ramar Temple, York Close
Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, York Close
Sri Sivasakthi Amman Temple, Air Itam Road
Sri Ambagarathoor Bathrakaliamman Temple, Air Itam Road
Sri Rudra Veera Muthu Maha Mariamman Temple, Air Itam Road
Sri Kamatchi Amman Temple, Jalan Sungai Pinang
Sri Sivasakthi Aiyappar Temple, Mount Erskine Road
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Tanjung Bunga
Sri Kadalora Kaliamman Temple, Tanjung Bunga
Sri Muthu Mariamman Bala Thandayuthapani Temple, Balik Pulau
Sri Manalmedu Muthu Mariamman Temple, Balik Pulau
Sri Muthu Mariamman Muneeswarar Temple, Bayan Lepas
Sri Visvanathar Visalatchi Temple, Bayan Baru
Sri Veera Makaliamman Temple, Sungai Nibong
Sri Krishnar Temple, Sungai Dua
Sri Veera Makaliamman Temple, Gelugur
Sri Veera Makaliamman Temple, Ipoh Lane
Sri Vazhividum Murugar Temple, Jalan Gurdwara
Sri Ashtambar Muneeswarar Temple, Jalan Gurdwara
Sri Rokku Malai Muneeswarar Temple, Paya Terubong
Sri Murugar Temple, Sungai Ara
Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple, Batu Gantung
Sri Dharma Muneeeswarar Temple, Kampung Pisang
Sri Muneeswarar Temple, Jalan Kelawai
Sri Dhurga Devi Temple, Jalan Kelawai
No comments:
Post a Comment