Entry 7: Indian Architecture in Malaysia

Here comes the Indian architecture in Malaysia. Although, Indian is the third ethnic community in Malaysia, but their most common architecture which is known as Dravidian architecture style are also be seen on their Hindu temple. 

Dravidian architecture style are define as the architecture in the southern part of the Indian Subcontinent. (Encyclopedia, 2000)The Dravidian style is the typical South Indian style temple that is usually made from stone. The temple shape may be rectangular, square, star-shaped, or octagonal. These temples usually have gopurams, which are large towers over the entrances; a vimana, which is the tower over the sanctum (the Deities); and large pillared halls and corridors. The gopurams were in the past always the tallest structures in town. (Dravidian Temple Architecture, n.d.)

There are common characteristics with the Buddhist temple. (Refer back to the previous post, Chinese Architecture in Malaysia)

Hindu temple are all around Malaysia, if there’s an amount of Indians living in an area, there will be a Hindu temple. As you may know, Hindu temple have the same characteristics with Buddhist temple as they have their own significant God to worship and there are different types of Hindu temple in Malaysia.

The prevalent features that we can see in Hindu temple which is the ornament and sculpture are found in and around the temples, around the temple walls and pillars. Every sculpture have different meanings which originated from the God they worship in the temple. The sculpture that we can see in the temple are all carved with granite stones and constructed with cement and iron rods. (Rampal, 2007)

Example of sculpture from Sri Mahamariammam Temple,
Source from LonelyPlanet.

This lively Hindu temple – the oldest in Malaysia and rumoured to be the richest – was founded in 1873. Mariamman is the South Indian mother goddess, also known as Parvati. Her shrine is at the back of the complex. On the left sits a shrine to the elephant-headed Ganesh, and on the right one to Lord Murugan. During the Thaipusam festival, Lord Murugan is transported to Batu Caves from the temple on a silver chariot.(Planet, 2016)

One of the famous Hindu temple in Malaysia which is Batu Caves located in Gombak, Selangor. It is a cave temple built within a limestone hill. For this temple, it have not much of typical Hindu temple design, it is because it located in a cave and there is only sculpture and statue can be seen in Batu Caves. The largest statue in the region located in Batu Caves which is the Lord Murugan. (River, 2013)

Batu Caves Temple, Gombak.
Source from ThousandWonders

Besides from the Batu Caves temple, there is also other temple with interesting stories and different design of the architecture. But most commonly, the architecture is still known as Dravidian architecture style.

Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple which located at Melaka, is an extraordinary temple which is different from the others. It’s simple architecture and there is only a few ornaments and sculpture that you can see in this temple.This temple is the oldest functioning temple in the region. It is unlike other Hindu temple which is run by people of Tamil Ancestry. It was built in 1781. (River, 2013)

Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple, Melaka.
Source from Touristlink.

As you can see, there is still a difference of all the Hindu temples which they can design it in a simplicity way or they can still follow the traditional design which surrounded with sculptures. There is no specification of how a Hindu temple must look but the temples are still categorized under the Dravidian architecture style.

Stay tuned for next post!

Reference:

Dravidian Temple Architecture (no date) Available at: http://blessingsonthenet.com/indianculture/sections/82/dravidian-temple-architecture (Accessed: 16 June 2016). 

Encyclopedia (2000) Dravidian architecture. Available at: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-Dravidianarchitecture.html (Accessed: 11 June 2016).

Planet, L. (2016) Sri Mahamariamman temple. Available at: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/sights/religious/sri-mahamariamman-temple (Accessed: 13 June 2016).

Rampal, K.G. (2007) Sacred structures: Artistic renditions of Hindu temples in Malaysia and Singapore. Available at: https://books.google.com.my/books?id=J4FGDtbgHB0C&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=hindu+temple+sculptures+in+malaysia&source=bl&ots=On7EEgCOWz&sig=AsJC4a2gDDwsaUvZbpsL48igSno&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=hindu%20temple%20sculptures%20in%20malaysia&f=false (Accessed: 11 June 2016.)

River, H. (2013) Poison apple. Top 10 Most Beautiful Hindu Temples in Malaysia. Available at: http://kanggatheren-manogaran.blogspot.my/2012/10/top-10-most-beautiful-hindu-temples-in.html (Accessed: 11 June 2016).