Thean Hau Temple, Kuala Lumpur

This temple is up on a hill and every Chinese Lunar New Year its site is a blaze of red which can be seen from miles away.

Devotees make their way up the hill whether on foot or in cars.  It took us almost 45 minutes to ascend which on a normal day would only take 5.  It was bumper to bumper traffic crawling up the hill.

Once we were parked, we made our way into the grounds, awed by the thousands of red lanterns above us, swaying gently in the night breeze.

                                                          Steps leading to the main temple
Apart from the main temple, it also houses an auditorium for functions (a Chinese opera was in performance that night) and there was a large forecourt where lion dances are usually performed during the lunar new year.

                                                         Devotees praying to the Deity

                                                                      Another Deity
A section of the temple grounds had statues of the Chinese zodiac animals, a favorite of shutterbugs.

                                                 Chinese zodiac animals bathed in colored lighting

                                                                       The Tiger

                                      My sister and my daughter share the same zodiac animal
A statue of the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, stands by a little bridge and a small waterfall.

                                                           Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy

                                                              Small man-made waterfall
From the temple we could see the KL Tower and the iconic Twin Towers in the distance.