Singapore Stone
Labrador Obelisk
Loyang Oracle Stone
Bukit Timah Meditation Rock
McRitchie Cryptic Headstones
3-Headed Menhir
Water Statues
Ubin Magic Granite
German Girl's Rock of Destiny
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1. An elephant god statue is spotted submerged in the water behind the Loyang temple
2 - 4. When the tide gets low, its full body reveals that looks very eerie at night


1. This is another well-known statue at Labrador park facing Sentosa
2 - 4. From the appearance of sea erosion, it was believed that the statue was initially soaked in water.
And then somehow it got taken up to a dry land

The Mystery of Water Statues

Not long ago, SPI debunked the mystery of Water Tomb for whom is a deceased noble woman in the Qing Dynasty from China. She married to a tycoon whose name is Seah. And she died peacefully and buried in a Feng Shui tomb. Now SPI has another case here that is called "Water Statues". The subject in question is why those statues ended up in the water there? Who put the statues in the water and for what reasons?

On a narrow water bay outside Loyang temple, there is a one meter high Elephant god statue namely Ganesha. The statue is badly eroded and discolored, submerged in water 7 meters away off-shore looking absolutely spooky especially at night.

Urban legend has it that holy elephants used to swim from Johor to Pulau Ubin, kneed down and prayed in front of the Thai temple in Ubin. Is this a fact or myth? A more ridiculous fable goes like this - the Ubin island was created when an elephant, a pig and a frog decided to race each other across the stretch of water from the main island of Singapore to the shore at Johor. Whoever lost the race would be transformed into stone. Since none of the three reached land, the elephant and the pig became the granite rock that is Pulau Ubin, while the frog became Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island).

So did this water statue share the same fate as some elephant was swimming towards Loyang temple and turned into a stone too? A more scary urban legend sprung up by the eerie appearance of those water statues is the speculation of somebody who had died horribly at the sea, such as drowning or murder at the scene. Thereby, a god statue is needed to be guarding at the sea to control the revengeful spirit. Otherwise, the ghost would seek "replacement" and the drowning case would ever repeat itself one after another.

As scary as it sounds, there is another water eroded Hindu god status is found at Labrador Park, facing Sentosa. Some said it was for warding off the water ghosts of those who were drown when attempted to swim from Labrador Park to Sentosa. While other believe it has something to do with the WW2 Japanese massacre victims being killed near the shore area. Mythically, like the Ubin elephants, were they indeed supernatural creatures that turned into stone during their journey of swim? What connections do they have with the myth of elephant swimming to Ubin? How and why these statues ended up abandoned in the water? SPI investigates and reveals the answer below.

1. SPI returned to the same beach and was searching for the Water Statues
2 - 4. SPI was interviewing the temple people for the answer of how the Water Statues were there in the sea


1 - 2. For the Chinese, when the worship idols are no longer in use, they would be gathered for a mass incineration
3 - 4. As for the Hindus, when the worship statues are replaced by new ones, how would they dispose the old ones?

SPI Debunks the Mystery of Water Statues

Persistently SPI investigated and interviewed many people around the areas where the Water Statues were found. Every one of them, with no exception said the same thing, "I don't know where they come from. I am only aware that they were here, probably for quite some time."

What the statues have in common is that they are of Hindu deities, and somehow, soaked in sea water. From this essential clue, it leads SPI into the Hindu temple at Loyang and interview the temple abbots for explanation.

The answer we found is that simple, like a sudden light turn on in a dark room. SPI learnt that it is just a part of the Hindu religious culture. For the Hindus, god statues are of some supernatural and divine that man should not destroy when they are no longer in use. This belief brought light to solving the whole mystery. When the temple abbots want to dispose the god statues, they would not burn them or smash them. But they preferably want them to return to mother nature!

Sending them to the sea is one of the ways, probably in the hope that they would naturally wash off by the wave. Or let the sea erosion in time restore them back to a piece of natural rock that they once were. That is why those god statues that used to be worshipped by devotes high on an altar, when they come to be replaced, they were placed in the sea for natural embracement. Man should not intervene in the fate of these unused statues - let nature takes its course on how they would become. This is an epitome of traditional cultural belief, found even in the contrast of the modern Singapore.

Besides this interesting Hindu culture that SPI has learnt, for the Chinese they have their own way in disposing the idols. Some believe that is a more proper way than letting them scattered around the place once they lose their original appearance. There are some discarded Chinese idols housed at corners of the entrance of the Bukit Brown cemetery, that make this spooky place more spooky.

Many old and damaged idols were found at the main gate of Bukit Brown cemetery. Is this the true god that people want to worship?

According to one of the key committee members at Loyang Tua Pek Kong temple, they do hold a regular ritual for "sending" off discarded idols to heaven. Every month, they collect a number from dozens up to sometimes a few hundreds idols for burning in a cremation ceremony. These idols usually come from devotees who either have their idols broken, replaced, or they changed their religions.

So for the SPI, the case for the mystery of Water Statues is closed.
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Pictorial Tour

Here comes the elephant god toward the Loyang temple
It resembles the myth of divine elephants swam across from Johor to Ubin. Some were turned into a stone in the middle of the journey.


The tide was getting lower, revealing more and more of its full body. The sky is getting darker also in the thickness of dusk.


1 - 2. Along the shore, there are bits and pieces of rubbles, coated with algae.
The elephant water statue has the same surface too, that implies the statue has been in the water for considerable amount of time
3 - 4. A doggie is lazying at the beach...


1. A little further up on the shore, SPI found some trash that looks like parts of the an altar.
Wouldn't it be the altar that the elephant water status once sat before?
2 - 4. At the corner of the temple, another idol statue is found in a wooden box.
The idol is badly weathered; but it looks still in use, incense was still offered to the idol. Who knows why was it exposed outdoor?
In human world, a black sheep who got outcast from an organization must have done something very wrong.
But in spiritual world, there wouldn't necessarily need a reason for banishment in the process of continuous upgrade.


1. Inside the temple, many idols were hosted and with ample of joss sticks offered to them.
In this particular photo, taken by accident, one can see what look like a pair of "faces" were inhaling over the incense smoke.
Is this eye playing trick on mind or face-recognition psychology? Check out the enlarged photo here yourself.
3 - 4. The night fell quickly, the surrounding is becoming more and more eerie. Orbs have now become common a sight in the darkness


1 - 3. The photos seem like there is always a cluster of orbs hovering around the water statue.
Are they pure coincidences are a sign of haunting by the statue?
4. This is the closest close-up of the water statue., and the ultimate goosebumps
The badly eroded surface makes it look like those decomposing skins as in horror movies


1 - 3. Some SPI friends volunteer to take photo of this spooky water statue
4. "Hey, dare you come take a picture with me..."


1 - 2. By using this special camera setting, the orbs and the statue are very prominent in the photos.
Are these orbs light reflection from the water droplets that are very likely at the sea? Or real spirits? 3. This photo is orbs-free
4. Again, by using special camera setting, it creates a man-made effect of some "spirit" moving out from the statue


1 - 3. On the other day, SPI went back to search for the water statue, but it was no longer there.
Could it be the high tide that fully cover the water statue? Or, by some safety reason, the water statue was removed from the water?
On the first two photos where the arrows are pointing, they show some water sport activities
So imagine how fatal it would be if the jet ski accidentally hit on the water statue. Would that be the reason why the statue is gone?
4. Some where further away in the sea, it seems like another mysterious object in the water .... the investigation continues ...



1 - 2. On the other hand, a stretch of deserted sea bay area near the Keppel harbour is full of ruins and wonders
3. That is where the famous Labrador Tunnel that leads to Sentosa has its entrance is in. Check out the SPI Files for the full investigation.
4. A warning sign is put up at the end of this desert bay area. Obviously there is some army camp behind the fence.



1 - 2. This has been some various versions of speculation on what this is. Some say it is a Sun Disc like those in Egyptian culture;
Some more sensible version is that the reflective disc is used as a signal post to send signal to the other side at Sentosa
The last version is a solar energy disc that was used to power some devices around
The truth reveals itself when one takes a closer look at the disc.
3. It says "Danger" 4. It says "22 KV Marine Cables".
That is a sign post to warn the public there used to exist some marine cables under the water, possibly leading to Sentosa.
But now the color is faded off, probably the cables were no longer in use. Wouldn't the cables relate to the underwater tunnel?


1 - 3. SPI found a large turtle but somehow balancing on the concrete railing, very poor thing.
It wasn't known for how long the turtle was put up there. Probably it was a prank by some naughty kids around;
Or worse it could be a prey caught by the fisherman nearby. They may come back at any time and snatch the turtle away.
Out of sympathy, SPI carried the turtle away and landed it safely on the grass land.
With a gentle reminder, SPI told the turtle, the endangered animal:
"turtle oh turtle, make sure nobody finds you again. With your size and rare species, you could be sold in black market for a high price."
4. Just a little bit further, a metal incense burner was found. It is badly eroded like the water statue in Loyang.


1. After found the incense burner, by standing up right, a strange sight captivate SPI's attention.
They have found another water statue that is equally heavy-eroded but it is not submerged in the water.
One guess is somebody must have picked it up from the water, and placed it there, overseeing the Sentosa island from this bay
2. Camera focus on the back of the statue; 3. Camera focus on the far scene of Sentosa
4. This water statue is found sitting along the concrete railing just as how the turtle was positioned earlier on top of the rail post


1. Close up of the face and shoulder; 2. Close up on the chest and waist; 3. Close up on the hips
4. This unique water statue was found on the tip of the rail post


Thinking back, those worship idols are just like human, receiving different treatments.
Just like us, some are more fortunate than the others.
Some are receiving good care and abundant offerings, while some are being rotted in desertion. Such is life, perhaps
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