The Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple is a major Hindu temple in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. It is also one of the state’s tourist attraction. The temple was listed in the Malaysian Book of Records as the first and only glass temple in the nation on 12 May 2010.
Shrine’s History
The temple, one of Johor Bahru’s oldest Hindu temples, is situated next to the railway tracks between Jalan Tun Abdul Razak and Jalan Mohd Taib. It started in 1922 as a simple shelter on land presented by the Sultan of Johor. In 1991, Sri Sinnathamby Sivasamy, current temple chairman and chief priest, also known as Guru Bhagawan Sittar inherited the administration of the temple from his father. He is the inspiration and driving force behind the temple. The Guru made a commitment to rebuild the temple upon inheriting it from the humble hut it once was. In spite of difficulties and challenges, the temple was rebuilt and officially reopened in 1996.
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Architectural Relevance of This Shrine
Light from crystal chandeliers is reflected on doors, pillars, walls and ceilings in a bright blaze that’s quite blinding initially. At least 90 percent of the temple is embellished by a mosaic of 300,000 pieces of red, blue, yellow, green, purple and white glass. The centrepiece in the Athma Lingam sanctuary is a lotus for Lord Shiva, on which devotees can pour rose water and perform their prayers.
Guru says this special sanctuary is the first in Malaysia to be designed with walls that are fully covered with 300,000 mukni Rudraksha beads from Nepal. At a glance, the walls appear to have an unusual embossed texture. Each Rudraksha bead is embedded in the walls with a chanted prayer. The fully air-conditioned temple has a café that serves vegetarian meals for special events, and a function hall in an adjoining building. There are 10 gold-finished sculptures close to the ceiling. Of the two figures on the left, one appears to be lying down and the other crawling, while the one on the far right seems to be reclining too.
These sculptures portray the cycle of life, from birth, youth, adulthood, to old age and death. There are 10 white marble statues standing 120 centimetres tall each. According to the name plaques, these are Gautama Buddha, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Sai Baba and Mother Teresa. The Guru believes that these are messengers of God, and visitors of other faiths will be happy to see them here.
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
Shrine Timings
7 am to 10 pm daily