A short bus journey from Ipoh is Gunung Rapat and a group of cave temples that are well worth a visit out of the old town for. From the main road the first one you reach is a Taoist place of worship, Ling Sen Tong, or ‘Rock of Heavenly Spirits’ as the name translates. hits you is the colourful facade, bright colours abound – curving orange roofs, red pillars and gold statues. Even as we arrive a painter is sprucing up the already gleaming dragons with a little more paint. Inside the grounds we recognise some of the characters from Haw Par Villa, our old friend Pigsy is back, along with other characters from Taoist folklore.
What initially hits you is the colourful facade, bright colours abound – curving orange roofs, red pillars and gold statues. Even as we arrive a painter is sprucing up the already gleaming dragons with a little more paint. Inside the grounds we recognise some of the characters from Haw Par Villa, our old friend Pigsy is back, along with other characters from Taoist folklore.
The grounds also features the twelve animals from the Chinese zodiac in the form of statues and a lucky wishing tree – you donate to buy a ribbon and tie it to the branches. High up above you is a reclining Buddha that is reachable by a series of steps. The cave’s roof is stained black from the smoke and ash from the joss sticks, not just the ones that worshippers stand in the bowl of sand, but the more ‘industrial’ spiral or conical ones that give off scents and smoke for hours.
Although this one is classed as a cave temple it is more built in front of the limestone karst than into… unlike it’s next door neighbour.
Nam Thean Tong is 155 years old, another Taoist temple, and it also offers a better view of the reclining Buddha in Ling Sen Tong than we could get whilst there! On first impressions it looks less cluttered compared to its neighbour, not as bright and polished either.
It has been constructed in such a way that it appears to be being swallowed up by the rocky cliff face. The charm of this temple though is hidden away, deep within the cave. Eye-catching murals have been painted directly onto the cave rock, little stairways into nooks and crannies where more Buddha’s are displayed in the natural cavities that the cave offers.
Outside in the grounds are prayer wheels, twelve in all – one for each sign of the Chinese zodiac. A large golden deity in a quite attractive garden setting sits before a colourful pagoda and bridge that add the aesthetics to a murky fish pond. There are some ornate fish carvings along the facade of the main temple, continuing the aquatic theme.
The third temple along is the Sam Poh Tong Temple, and it claims to be the biggest cave temple in Malaysia. Legend has it that in the late 19th century a Chinese monk passing through Ipoh discovered the cave and set up home here. He lived, worked and meditated here right up until his death.
There is no crazy colour scheme here, more a combination of nature and man-made beauty. It’s our first Buddhist temple of the day, and its use of pagodas and Buddha statues are used to create a magical setting. Once you have passed through the cave you reach a turtle pond, a not altogether unusual feature but it is very well stocked and has some of the biggest specimens that we have seen! The Buddha’s all look very old, but it is hard to date anything as it looks like they keep adding to and expanding the collection.
Front left of the caves entrance is a landscaped garden, the main attraction being a Japanese pond with hundreds of fish. There are some colourful koi and terrapins, which apparently symbolise longevity, and a wishing well for those who are seeking good fortune. Each temple has been very different, and we still have one more to go…
The final visit isn’t a cave temple, or even that old. Dud Jom New Treasure is a Buddhist temple based on a Tibetan style. Colourful flags align the perimeter and eight white stupas, all slightly different sit in a neat row under a blue sky.
The single plaque dating here says 1993, other than that we don’t know much more as the main building was closed. What we did learn is what each stupa represented, the number and shape of tiers are all significant. For anyone who is interested the eight are nirvana, complete victory, reconciliation, descent from God’s realm, great miracles, many doors, enlightenment and blossom…
Oldest On the Bus 