Brief Summary on the History & Appeal Letter

8/3/2019 Brief Summary on the History & Appeal Letter

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/brief-summary-on-the-history-appeal-letter 1/7

Our Ref : mmsmmt/01/10

Your Ref :

06 July 2010

On behalf of the Temple Committee of the oldest and most unique Hindu Temple in Malaysia, I have the honour of forwarding a brief history of thetemple with photos of the temple and its surroundings for yourinformation and kind attention. The cost of restoration and renovation works of the Temple had toppedRM 500,000 and another RM 300,000 is now needed for the remainingworks and to provide for the infrastructure cost and consecrationceremony expenses. The restoration work would not have been possiblewithout the strong support of the small local Hindu population (less than10,000), the authorities and the magnanimity of other racial groups in

Sarawak

Therefore, we are appealing for the need for solidarity from our Hindubrothers and sisters and well wishers in Peninsular Malaysia to give usyour kind support to complete the Temple, the only one of its kind inMalaysia, by contributing a minimum sum of RM 10.00 directly into thetemple’s saving A/c as follows:~

EON BANK BHD

Acc No: 2002-20-003118-4SRI MAHA MARIAMMAN TEMPLE, MOUNT MATANG KUCHING

Yours Truly in the Service of Sri Maha Mariamman

(AREPITRI ARNASALAM)CO-ORDINATOR6 July 2010

Note : Please treat the teller machine’s deposit receipt as an official

receipt for your donation. However, if the Temple’s Official Receiptis needed, please fax or email us a copy of the Bank in slip withname, address and phone contact written on it Tel/fax :082-233267



BRIEF SUMMARY ON THE HISTORY OF

MOUNT MATANG SRI MAHA MARIAMMAN TEMPLE

The Temple built during the era of the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, Sir CharlesBrooke in the 1860’s by Tea Plantation workers from South India, is suppose to bethe only abode of “Sri Maha Mariamman” in South East Asia, which is made of beliantimber(iron wood), located on a 1,000 feet height on a mountain slope with pyramidshaped gopuram. The distant of the Temple is about 3 km from the foot of themountain and would take an hour to reach. One who visit the Temple wouldexperience the cool and congenial atmosphere at the upper slopes of the mountain,panoramic view of the Matang plains and other landscape below and the 1800Century Craftsmanship on belian timber which houses the “Sri Maha MariammanDeity”.

BRIEF HISTORY

Some 2000 feet up, the site chosen at the slopes of Gunung Matang provided idealterrain for tea growing and setting of a hill retreat for the Second Rajah of Sarawak.

The Rajah then allowed the entry of Indian plantation workers to be employed at thetea plantation. It is estimated that close to 1,000 Indian workers were engaged whenthe plantation were thriving. British were known to be tea lovers who maintainedtheir social habits in the colonies. The tea plantation were also of particular interestbecause they helped support an aristocratic British social life and lifestyle on the hill,where Rajah Charles had built a bungalow within the tea estate for him and the Raninamed “Vallembrosa”.

One of the buildings at the tea and coffee plantation which has remained more orless intact after more than 90 years was a Hindu temple built by Indian plantationworkers and was dedicated to the Goddess Sri Maha Mariamman.

The Hindu Temple Built in 1860 Rediscovered in 1967

The temple was the earliest known Hindu Shrine in Sarawak and was rediscovered in1967, after being abandoned by the Indian workers since the tea plantation wereclosed in 1912. It was over grown with trees and creepers. Since 1967, for the last 40over years efforts have been made by the Hindu Communities in Kuching to maintainthe sacred shrine, it’s surroundings and the road leading to the temple.



The Temple Upon Kumba Abishegam in 1970

TEMPLE LOCATED AT 1,000 FEE T ABOVE SEA LEVEL ON THE SLOPE OF GUNUNGMATANG KUCHING, SARAWAK, MALAYSIA



AERIAL VIEW OF THE TEMPLE UNDER CONSTURCTION WHICH IS 3 KM FROM THEFOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN

NEWLY CONSTRUCTED TEMPLE AVAITING FOR CONSECRATION CEREMONY



108 STEPS TO THE TEMPLE AFTER THE 3KM DISTANCE FROM THE FOOT OF THEMOUNTAIN

ARTHAMANDABAM & MOOLASTANAM



MAIN ENTRANCE

FRONT VIEW



Documents

Brief Summary on the History & Appeal Letter