Velankani Shrine - a pilgrim centre In 16 century, Our lady with a child appeared to a Hindu boy carrying milk and resting near a pond under a banyan tree. He gave her milk on request, but when he narrated the incident for arriving late with reduced milk, but the quantity of milk was found intact. Curious to confirm,and see the place of apparition, the lady with the child appeared again. The place is christened as Matha Kulam, Our Lady`s Tank and a chapel is erected at site and tank is totally covered, Devotees prostrate over the top with reverence. On another occasion our lady with a child appeared to the crippled boy selling butter milk in the same village. He offered her some on request, as on that date there were no customers. The lady asked him to go to the wealthy catholic at Nagapatinam and request him to build a chapel in Her honour. The man is also believed to have a vision the previous night. The boy was completely cured of his congenital disease, as he ran 10kms to convey the message. On their return to the site, Lady appeared to both of them. A thatched chapel was built to Blessed Mother and the devotion spread like wild fire It was known as Arokia Matha or Mother of Good Health and named Our Lady of Health in 1988. A Portuguese ship was caught in a violent storm and landed safely after fervent prayers on the shores of Nagapatinam, They visited the thatched chapel to pay their obeisance and gratitude and on their subsequent journeys built a permanent chapel and improved it. The date was 8 September and hence it is dedicated to Our Lady In 1771, Fr Antonio Rosario became the first P.P, as the new church was bifurcated from Nagapatinam. Until 1847 the church was under Franciscan missionaries of Nagapatinam and Velore. In 1890 the Bishop of Mylapore handed it over to Diocesan priests. The shrine was renovated in 1920/1933.Pope John XXIII elevated it to the Minor Basilica because of the apparitions, miraculous statue, countless miracles and magnificent structure .In 1988 it was converted into a storied structure. The original statue is at the back of the Basilica.Our Lady is attired in a sari and bedecked with gold finery. The dress and ornaments are changed on feast day, and fine pieces of the sari are distributed as souvenirs to the devotees The pilgrim centre is alive on 8 September with milling crowds of devotes. There is a pilgrim dormitory and any number of hotels to cater to the needs. The museum is a testimony of grateful faithful for favours received. The masses are conducted in Tamil. Telgu. and in Konkani during Novenas with English mass at 10 a.m regularly,. There are processions with candle light at nights on 3 days in a week with recitation of each rosary decades in all languages. A souvenir shop, centre for healing prayers and offer masses, a gallery of depictions of some biblical themes. All the decades are pictorially enacted, where individuals recite the rosary. There is a new, beautiful Church called Morning Star, which is a architectural marvel. Provision is made to hear confessions and counseling. Devotees track on knees to fulfill their vows or ask for favours .The complex is large and enclosed, reeking with spiritual atmosphere., with minimum disturbance of any kind .A monument is erected to remember all those unknown who perished during Tsunami The distance from Goa to Velankani by private vehicle takes about 20/21 hours. The roads are well maintained except for few kilometers of single lane and also from Thanjavur to Velankani .The 4 lanes road charge tax at about 17 places charging about Rs 1800=on both journeys for a car, but the journey is pleasant .It will cost several times more for a bus travel. The direct train is only once a week on Mondays, returning on Tuesday immediately and is not convenient for religious purposes, There is a mini train transporting pilgrims from Nagapatinam and a short rickshaw trip to the pilgrim centre.The return trip to Chenai to Bangalore and Goa also feasible by bus from Bangalore The pilgrim centre at Velankani ,apart from miracles, healings and visits by devotees for favours received, is a wonderful place to enhance faith and devotion, set in ideal conditions. The best and peaceful time to visit is after the feast on 8 September, though one may miss the grandeur and being a part of multitudes, a sea of humanity. Pilgrims by hordes from all over India and the world descend at the pilgrim centre in Velankani The catholic church is yet to give its seal of approval to the apparitions at Velankani, but it does not matter to the millions of devotees who throng with faith and hope and is rightly called Lourdes of East Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Some people may not be able to see this attachment because of its privacy settings. Cancel <https://www.facebook.com/nelson.lopes.779#>Share Status Names...
