Sri Sundararaja Perumal Temple
Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple, or well known as Klang Perumal Temple, is a 117-years old temple, one of the oldest in Malaysia. This temple which also known as "Thirupati of South East Asia" after its famous namesake in India, is the largest Vaishnavite temple in West Malaysia. It is located in the royal district of Klang in the state of Selangor and just a stone away from the popular Little India in Klang. This temple is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu in the form of Perumal (also known as Thirumaal), a very popularly worshipped form of South Indians. (This event is explained by the Indian community in Malaysia which originated mostly from South India)
Architecture
The Gopuram of this temple is one of the great landmarks of Klang, which stand proudly along Klang-Port Klang highway. It shows many sculptures and carvings of different deities, representing many epics in simple image form. Inside the temple, there are several complex dedicated to different deities. At the center of the temple is the Perumal Sannathi, where Lord Perumal and His consort Goddess Mahalakshmi are situated. On the right of it is the Shivan Sannathi, which consists Lord Shiva, Lord Parvathi, Lord Vinayaga, Lord Murugan and Lord Ayyappan. On the left side of Perumal Sannathi is Saneshwara Sannathi, where Lord Shani and the Navagrahas is situated. Adjacent to the center complex is Lord Anjaneya Sannathi and just at the corner outside the temple is Lord Nagaraja Sannathi. It also has a multi purpose hall called The Mahalakshami Kalyana Mandapam (Mahalakshmi Wedding Hall), a favorite place of the Indian community in Klang to have their weddings. The center complex of Lord Perumal Sannathi contains a small gopuram with the statue of all Lord Vishnu’s avatars surrounding it. The entire space of this temple is befitted with air-cool system for the convenience of devotees.
Occasions
Various religious and spiritual activities are held in Klang Perumal temple all year long. But the most prominent of it is the Purataasi month celebration, the month dedicated to Lord Perumal. It is the month that falls between mid-September to mid-October, where many devotees of Perumal take strict vows to achieve spiritual conscience. Month long prayers and rituals are held everyday and Saturdays of this holy month is celebrated grandly in festival mood. Lots of devotees from all over Malaysia and even the neighboring countries throng to this temple from morning to night to pay their homage and have the grace of Lord Sri Sunderaraja Perumal.
Acknowledgment
Recently, on November 2006, the temple was awarded with ISO 9001:2000 certification for its quality sustained contribution in religious, cultural and social service to Hindus. This is probably the first Hindu shrine in the world to receive an international quality service acknowledgement.