The Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman temple is covered inside and out with more than 300,000 pieces of glass and crystal — coloured, mirrored, and patterned across every surface of the building. It is unlike any other Hindu temple in Malaysia, and possibly in the world. The base temple dates to 1922, but the glass covering was begun in the 1990s and the project is ongoing; new sections are regularly completed and the detail continues to accumulate. Visitors are welcome to walk through the main hall, where the effect is extraordinary — the light catches thousands of mosaic fragments at every angle.
Non-Hindu visitors are welcome outside of prayer times. Remove shoes before entering and cover shoulders and knees. The temple serves the local Tamil community and remains an active place of worship, not a tourist attraction. Come accordingly.
The transformation began in earnest in 1998 when the resident priest had a vision that the goddess Kali should be housed in a glass temple. Work has continued for over two decades, funded by donations from the community and individual devotees. Different sections were completed in different years — you can trace the evolving ambition in the varying complexity of the glasswork as you move through the building.