Penang Hill Temple 1
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 29 Nov 2016 23:27
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Sri Aruloli
Thirumurugan – better known as Penang Hill Hindu
Temple, Part One
 At the top of Gun Hill we looked to the
corner and there was a lovely little
temple.
   We found the shoe
rack and stepped into the porch, looking up as we did so.
Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan,
or better known as the Penang Hill Hindu Temple,
is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Penang. It started off in the 1800's as a
small shrine to the Hindu deity Murugan - the deity associated with
Thaipusam - by the Indian sepoys and sedan chair carriers, and is
located at a mount within Penang Hill called Gun Hill. A trident, or Murugan
Vel, was installed there by the devotees. Over the years, it was enlarged and
rebuilt. The present-day incarnation of the Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan is a very
ornate Hindu temple in the Dravidian architectural style of South
India.
The Dravidian style of constructing Hindu temples calls for four principal parts. The temple proper, or vimana, is the shrine with a tower, a mandapa, or porch, gopurams, or gate towers, and chawadis, or pillar halls. In addition, there would usually be a tank of water for use in sacred rituals or for cleansing.      An attractive pair of chaps
guarded the main shrine of Sri Shanmu’s Father and
another chap looked on from the side. A bird sat quietly watching
all.
 To our right a large
tableau.
  We knew Ganesh on the
left.
 In the
centre.
 Toward the
right.
 A lovely lady on the far
right complete with Beez coloured floral
band.
 The canopy
above.
  The far back left of the temple was devoted to Vinayagar.
  The far back right was devoted to Idumbar.
  Looking from the back by
Idumbar. The ornate, folded back doors.
  Ceiling
lights.
Continued |