Velankanni

For the Immaculate Shrine

We decided to head to the famous Velankanni after an ample time of ‘sun and the sea’ in Tharangambadi. The route through the Tamil countryside was charming. We also stopped for a short view over the salt mounts of Vedaranyam. Vedaranyam is itself a place to visit for the salt pans, Thirumaraikaadu and Point Calimere Bird Sanctuary.

Salt Pans

Velankanni is actually spelled as Vailankanni meaning virgin of the town Velai. It was once a busy port but later lost its importance to Nagaipattinam. The city is known for the basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health. The Basilica is believed to be built by the Portuguese soldiers, who escaped a violent storm. This is one of the worst affected areas of the 2004 tsunami. There is a memorial for the thousands of pilgrims died in the tsunami. There is also a famous beach, walk able from the shrine.

The Basilica

The town was heavily crowded owing to the school vacation time during May. Tourists and pilgrims flocked the imposing basilica. The white basilica along the blue sky had a subtle dignity to it. The lawns around the shrine were well maintained and the kids had fun time enjoying the shower from the sprinklers.

Another View

The Backside

The Lawns and the Shrine

Once inside the shrine, it was a welcome silence from the mad crowds of the streets. There are masses held in different languages. More information can be found at the official site.

There is a small yet interesting museum near the church, where the history of Valiankanni can be found. The surroundings of the basilica were very clean with lots of statues.

The Statues

The yummy local street foods are must eats. There were corns, ice apples (nungu), sprouts of the sugar palm (panai kizhangu), finger millet porridge (raagi koozh) and boiled, seasoned chick peas (sundal). For a less healthy option, there were bajjis, vadais and soft drinks. Throughout the lane towards the beach, there were souvenir shops, toy shops, hotels and so on. Finding a way through the packed crowds was a herculean task for us.

The Crowded Streets

After a struggle through the crowds, we reached the beach only to find it even more crowded. It was impossible to have a pleasant time there but we were content about our ample time at Tharangambadi beach. There were shacks selling fresh fish food. They tasted good although they appeared a little intimidating.

The Beach

The Shacks

Fact Sheet:

How To Reach

Nearest City/Town : Nagaipattinam – 12 KMs away

Nearest Airport : Thiruchirapalli – 120 KMs away

Nearest Railhead : Nagaipattinam

Mode of Transport : Buses or private cabs from Nagaipattinam.

Stay

Clinton Park Inn, Hotel Seagate

Eat

Maria Restaurant

Nearby Attractions

Vedaranyam