At Malaysia’s Batu Caves, the main shrine is dedicated to Murugan, the Hindu deity also known as Kartikeya or Skanda.
The shrine is the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple, located in the complex’s largest cavern. Murugan is especially revered in Tamil Hindu traditions as a youthful warrior deity and son of Shiva and Parvati. Batu Caves became a major Hindu pilgrimage site after a temple was established there in 1891.
The site is closely associated with Thaipusam, a major Tamil Hindu festival. Pilgrims climb the staircase carrying offerings, including kavadi structures, while the enormous gold-painted Murugan statue outside the caves signals the shrine’s dedication. The statue was unveiled in 2006 and stands about 42.7 metres tall.
A common mix-up is to identify the caves with Shiva, Ganesha, or Vishnu because all appear in Hindu religious art. Batu Caves does contain other shrines, including one connected with Hanuman, but Murugan is the principal deity of its main temple.