Old British buildings inspired by Islamic architecture now Malaysian Government offices.
The Courtyard of a Taoist Temple in KL sports a huge fireplace for sending gifts to the dead.
Paper copies of flamboyant Imperial robes can be bought and burnt to clothe ancestors.
Prayers are prayers the world over whatever the language or the religion
or the whoever the devotee
In the Taoist temple the focus is on a god
In the Buddhist temple the focus is on a man - though superhuman he may have been.
though the temple itself is dedicated to a female Bodhisattva - Kuan Yin
The Clan House was built to glorify very human ancestors and their achievements
and outside and in the family name is immortalised
The main Hindu temple in KL has a superb Gopuram or sculptured entrance tower.
and here the central shrine and temple are dedicated to the female deity and wife of Siva
but the other deities are not forgotten - grouped around the dancing Siva - Nataraj
and before them the tiny pious devotees are clad in Sari samples.
We returned in the evening for pooja and Sheryl joined the devout
while I chilled out with the reed man and his jazz like music
as he jammed with the drumming of the temple percussionist.
TEXTILES
Sheryl in the corridors of the Textile Museum
A contemporary Batik painting at the entrance to the Textile Museum shop
an old Chinese embroidery in the museum display
Applique with a mirror centrepiece was used to embellish islamic prayer
Traditional cotton weaving for sarongs glow with intensely coloured thread
exquisite porcelain painting is also on display
The rich added gold and precious stone jewellery to their costumes
while the tribal people of Malaysia achieved rich adornment with teeth, seeds and shells
From Kuala Lumpur Sheryl and I flew with Air Asia to Siem Reap in Cambodia for 4 days to explore the ancient ruined city of Angkor with its many temples and magnificent Ankor Wat.
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