MY VISIT TO THE BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF VAILANKANNI: (Photo gallery and information on getting there)

In November 2022, I was fortunate enough to make a trip to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health situated on the coast of the Bay of Bengal in the town of Vailankanni in Chennai, India. Declared a minor basilica in 1962, and now extensively renovated, the beautiful gothic styled church of Our Lady of Good Health was erected by Portuguese sailors in the 17^th century in memory of two apparitions (approved by the Holy See) where Our lady appeared to two local boys and villagers.

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Main Basilica

The first involved a young boy out delivering buttermilk to a man. The boy said a beautiful woman dressed in traditional attire and carrying a child stopped him near a banyan tree on the banks of a tank. She asked him for some milk for the child which he obliged. Upon reaching the man, he apologized for the delay saying there would be less buttermilk but when he opened his can, it was overflowing with its contents. The villagers hearing the story went to the tank, where Our Lady appeared once again. The residents of the local Catholic community were delighted to learn that it was Our Lady who appeared to the boy. The tank in which the apparition took place is called “Matha Kulam” or Our Ladies Tank. A chapel was also built on the spot of the apparition with a structure built over the tank.

Shrine of the first apparition

Leading up to the shrine of the first apparition is a long sand filled walkway called the "Holy Path" where pilgrims crawl on their knees or walk up to the shrine.

The Holy Walk

The second apparition involved another young handicapped buttermilk seller who reported a beautiful lady who appeared to him and asked him for buttermilk for her infant son. The lady asked the boy to inform a wealthy Catholic man in the nearby town of Nagapattinam about her presence. The boy, unaware that it was Our Lady who had miraculously cured his injured limb, stood up and continued his journey. The man also had a vision last night in which Our Lady requested him to construct a chapel for her which he did naming it the Nadhu Thithu shrine.

Nadhu Thithu shrine

In the 17^th century, a Portuguese merchant vessel sailing from Macau to Ceylon was caught in a severe storm in the Bay of Bengal. The sailors prayed fervently to Mary, Star of the Sea to save them, and promised to build a church in her honor wherever they would land. The sea became calm, and their ship landed near Vailankanni on 8th September, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. To honor their promise, the Portuguese rebuilt the thatched chapel into a stone church. On subsequent voyages, they improved the church inlaying the main altar with blue porcelain plates illustrated with scenes from the bible. The statue of Our Lady in the Altar is possibly the only one where Our Lady is adorned in Indian attire, the traditional saree.

The original altar and statue built by the Portuguese

After being declared a minor Basilica in 1962, the main shrine was extended to its present appearance today. The Basilica houses the main shrine and a lower basilica with an exquisite altar façade with two elaborate statues of Christ the King and Our Lady of Good Health on either side. Below the statue of Our Lady is a relic of St Francis Xavier.

The Lower Basilica

On 8^th September, the feast of the BVM, Vailankanni sees a footfall of almost 300,000 people of all religions who visit the basilica to pay homage to our mother and to pray for her powerful intercession for cures, good health, and various needs. So strong is her influence on the town that regardless of religion, her portrait adorns almost every store, hotel, or restaurant including a huge one on the platform of the local railway station at Nagapattinam. Several miracle cures have been attributed to Our Lady of Good Health with testimonies accompanied by gold or silver organs that can be seen in the Shrine Museum. To the local populace Our Lady of Vailankanni is their protector known as “Amma” (Mother) and hailed with the salutation Ave Maria.

Display of the first apparition

I spent four days in Vailankanni, it was my first time, so exploring was necessary. The beach seemed a bit crowded and could do with some cleaning. However, in the evenings, you could always walk to a quieter spot and spend some me time. A word of advice, just like every pilgrimage center in India be it of any religion, things are quite expensive. If you scout around, you will find cheaper and good places to eat like the Hotel Maria which serves quality food at affordable prices. Most religious items of significance like oil bottles, rosaries, pictures, etc are available on the church premises itself. If you want a better selection, go to the market arcade where there are shops selling imported and good quality items at reasonable prices.

How to go to Vailankanni

While there are several ways to go to Vailankanni even from neighboring states, the easiest way to do so is to get to Chennai first. Once in Chennai, you could go travel to Vailankanni either by bus, or by train. There are several premium sleeper buses going to Vailankanni departing from Omnibus Bus Stand, Koyambedu. The journey takes around seven hours. You could either opt for a night bus or a day bus which will reach Vailankanni by 7 pm. I booked a bus from MakeMyTrip for Rs 948 in 2022. If you prefer travelling by train, there are two trains departing from Egmore to Vailankanni, one is the LTT KARAIKAL EXP (11017) available only on Saturdays, dep time 11.20 and reaches Vailankanni at 17.43. The other is the daily night train MS Kik Express leaving at 21.00. I suggest you plan your journey to reach at least 5 hours in advance to take in account journey delays especially if you’re travelling by train from your source. Alternately you can also stay overnight in Trichy, visit Our Lady of Lourdes Church and then travel the next day to Vailankanni. Two trains are available, the daily morning ERS KIK Express and The Vailankanni Express departing only on Tuesday at 8.20 am.

Where to Stay in Vailankanni

There are several accommodation options in Vailankanni. There are budget and premium hotels all around the Basilica or within a 2 km radius of it. I stayed in Hotel Ave Maria Park which is in a very convenient location. The price is in mid-high with rooms starting @1600 +. The amenities are good with carpeted rooms, running hot and cold water, TV etc. I paid a visit to the Assisi Pilgrim’s Dormitory and was surprised to learn they even have single and double rooms available. The information I got was that there is no advance booking. There is a huge booking counter near Vailankanni bus stand and it is on first come first serve basis. Decent rooms with fans and attached bathrooms are @400 plus. There are AC rooms for 1500+ (Prices might have changed). If you go in the off season or between 15^th November to 5^th December, the weather is great and you are more likely to get a room.

Spend a day in Chennai

The best thing about spending a day or catching a night train or flight from Chennai is the time you get to visit St Thomas Cathedral in Mylapore. You can visit the grave of St Thomas as well as see his relics in the museum there. At the end of the picture gallery is the photos of the Grave of St Thomas, While photos are not allowed, I clicked these with permission so please respect the copyright and save only if it is for your personal purpose.