Indian couple in UK turn room into temple, attract 50,000 visitors

London, May 28 (UNI) An Indian couple in Britain have attracted more than 50,000 visitors to their home after they transformed their spare room into a Hindu temple, with 17 marble statues of gods and goddesses flown over from India.

Sushila and Dhirajlal Karia turned their additional bedroom into a temple as there was none when they settled in the town of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.

Mr Karia said, ''We invited a priest from India to inaugurate the temple so the gods become alive and worthy of prayer.

Gradually, the news of their shrine spread by word of mouth, attracting devout Hindus and curious guests from other religions.'' There is no record of people visiting the temple but it is between 40,000 and 50,000 in the past 30 years, he added.

People from Manchester, Leicester, London and all over England come to visit the temple.

The couple said their temple was even famous as far afield as India and Canada.

''People come in coach loads - one, two or three at the most because we can't accommodate more than that,'' the Daily Mail quoted them as saying.

Mr Karia said, ''People come to pray and make a wish as well and according to our records, we have had so many people have their wishes come true.'' UNI XC SYU US1743