Sri Maha Mariamman Dhevasthanam Hindu temple

This temple situated in Chinatown was built in 1873 and is the oldest Hindu temple in the city. It has intriguing designs and decorative features such as intricate carvings of Hindu deities, precious stones and hand-painted motifs depicting stories from early Hinduism. Malaysia's tallest Hindu silver chariot is kept in a vault in the temple and is brought out once a year for the Thaipusam celebrations. The temple's shape resembles a human body lying on its back with the head facing west and the feet pointing east. The tallest structure in the temple is the gopuram (tower) which corresponds to the feet of the body. The dramatic 23m-high pyramid-shaped gate tower is decorated with statues of Hindu gods created by artisans from southern India.