Entering the Temple
Temple in Malaysia – As you enter the temple, your eyes are immediately drawn to the brightly coloured statue of a seated Sathya Sai Baba, who had distinctive frizzy hair and was always clad in his trademark saffron robes. This statue occupies a prime spot in the room. A highly polished shiny reflective floor and whitewashed walls add to the brightness.
Sathya Sai Baba has his right hand raised in a gesture as if greeting you, and the sign on the base of his chair says: “Om Sai Ram”. Sai Ram is a greeting, and it is said as a repeated mantra.
In the centre of the back wall, there are large photos of the guru. These are surrounded by statues from other religions, which I found fascinating. Adjacent to Sathya Sai Baba is a colourful statue of the Hindu god Ganesh, a white Buddha, and a smaller statue that I think may represent the “first” Sai Baba.
Fact File
The Sai Baba Cave Temple is located in the northeast of Ipoh. It is near the Sunway Complex, and the Lost World of Tambun, and is immediately before the entrance to the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat.
The temple is open Sundays from 10 am to noon. The Tambung Cave Temple has a Face Book page.