Kerala idol draws crowds in Singapore

SINGAPORE - An idol from a 5,000-year-old temple in Kerala is drawing huge crowds in Singapore.

Hundreds of Hindus are flocking to the Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman temple in Toa Payoh area to pray to Sree Bhagavathy Amman, popular among women seeking comfort from family-related problems such as abuse and alcoholism, The Straits Times newspaper reported Sunday.

This is a 30-cm smaller version of the original idol at the Chakkulathukavu Sree Bhagavathy temple in Kerala. The main idol, chiselled out of rock, cannot be removed from the temple.