Koogaimalai Kumara!

Belukurichi Palaniappa Temple

Belukurichi is a small village on a hillock called Koogai malai, on the Kolli range in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. The Kolli hills are in the Southern part of the Eastern Ghats, yet untouched by commercial tourism which has helped them retain their surreal beauty. The hills find mention in epics like Silapathikaram, Manimekalai, Purananooru and Ainkurunooru. The village had been originally named after Lord Muruga (who is called Palani Appa now) as Velavan Kurichi.

The Palani Appa temple is unique in several aspects. One would have seen Lord Muruga depicted in various forms in different temples - such as Baladhandayuthapani, Gnana Skanda, Brahma Sastha, Subrahmanya, Arumuga, Valli Devasena Pathi, Jayanthi Nathan etc. but Lord Palani Appa of Belukurichi is different from any of these forms.

Why did he come to be known as Palani Appa? Bhogar, one of the eighteen Siddhars had the ability of making statues from an elixir of nine poisonous materials, commonly known as Navapashanam. Water used to bathe these idols when administered to patients, could cure chronic ailments. The famous navapashana statue made by him is in Palani hills. The deity here in Belukurichi is said to have been created by Bhogar much ahead of the one in Palani, from the Pashanams of Kolli hills and hence the Lord is called Palani Appa ( the one that came before Palani).

A view of the Kolli Hills from atop the Belukurichi temple

The Lord facing West is found here in the guise of a hunter. His hair is pulled into a knot on the right side of his head and a string of Konrai flowers (Golden shower) are found etched around it.

Three lines of sacred ash with a spear (Vel) in the middle are found on the forehead of the deity. This symbolises a union of Shiva and Shakthi. A string of golden shower flowers are also found tied around his waist, from where hangs a dagger! He is seen with a Vajravel in his right hand, and a rooster in his left, wearing footwear!

The enchanting Palani Appa of Belukurichi!

Usually, when deities are depicted holding weapons, the height of the weapon does not exceed the height of the deity. However, here we find that the spear is shown taller than the deity. Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma have bestowed their powers to the Lord through the spear, which is depicting having three parts denoting each of them. Due to this, the spear is shown taller than the deity himself.

On full moon days, thousands of people gather here to witness the midnight worship. It is believed that the eighteen Siddhars come here to worship him at that time. The abhishekam and alankarams are all completed by 11.50 pm and the doors of the sanctum are closed and all the devotees move outside to wait. At the stroke of midnight, the doors are opened. Signs of puja having been performed, and visible signs of changes in the alankaram are witnessed to this day.

Once the abhishekam is complete, sweat emanates from the deity's tip of the nose, chin and chest with three different fragrances!

A Shiva lingam has been etched above the entrance of the sanctum. On the ceiling of the Artha Mandapa, two snakes have been depicted swallowing the Sun and the Moon.  Meditating on the Lord, sitting on a green stone right under these snakes, is said to answer genuine prayers.

The Tiruchengode hill where Lord Shiva and Parvathi are found as Ardhanareeswara can be seen at eye level from the head of the peacock found in the Maha Mandapa. It seems as though Shiva and Shakthi are watching over the son who has been created with both their features, right from their abode.

The temple is said to have been built originally by Valvil Ori, who ruled this region around 200 CE. He was one of the seven philanthropists mentioned in Sanga Literature. Tales of his valour are being sung as part of folk lore even today. A statue of Valvil Ori is found at the entrance of the temple complex. Poet Avvaiyaar has also worshipped the deity here.

Kanda Shasti festival which begins today is celebrated with great festivity apart from Thai poosam, Panguni Uthram and Krithigai .

Other deities at Belukurichi

There are shrines for Ganesha, Goddess Kumarinayaki, Vishnu, Krishna, Nagas and Shani.

If you want to spend some quiet time, in the serene company of an enchanting deity, in the ethereal beauty of the Kolli hills, this is your destination.

How to get here:

Belukurichi is about 25 kilometres from Namakkal. On the Namakkal - Tiruchengodu route, Belukurichi is about 13 kms from Sendamangalam.

Temple Timings:

The temple is open from 8 am to 5 pm.

On full moon days, the temple is open from 8 am in the morning till 5 am the next morning.

Contact:  95244 49931

Where Hanuman Stands Alone

Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman Temple, Ayyangarkulam

It is quite common to find Hanuman in Vishnu/Ramar temples facing the Sanctum Sanctorum or in a seperate shrine. There are even Shiva temples where we can see seperate shrines for Hanuman. 

But here is a temple where the Siriya Thiruvadi is in the Sanctum Sanctorum and the Periya Thiruvadi (Garudalwar) is found outside. For a medium sized temple, there is no other shrine. 

Surprised! Come to Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman Temple, Ayyangarkulam.

Situated on the Kanchipuram - Vandavasi route, on the banks of Palar, this temple has been built by Sri Koti Kannikadhanam Lakshmi Kumara Thathachariar in the 16th Century. The history behind this temple is extremely interesting.

Lakshmi Kumara Thathachariar was the Raja Guru of the Vijayanagara Kings - Venkata Raya I and II and the Chief Minister of the Vijayanagar empire during his time. He hailed from the glorious Acharya lineage of Vaishnavite philosophers and had heriditary relations with Nathamunigal, Sri Alavandhar, Sri Ramanuja etc. Considering his knowledge and acts of philanthropy which gave him the title of Koti Kannikadhanam, the Vijayanagar kings nominated him as the Sri-Karya Durandharar of all the Divya Desams in their empire.

One night, Sri Thathachariar was travelling to Kanchipuram with the royal gifts he received from the king, to offer them to Varadaraja Perumal. As it became dark, he decided to stay where the temple now stands and spend the night under a tree there. 

During Treta Yuga, when Hanuman was carrying the Sanjeevi Parvata to revive Lakshmana who was hurt and unconscious, it is believed that a piece of the parvata had fallen at this point.

After Thathachariar and his men settled down and fell asleep, having safeguarded the riches under the tree, a group of robbers came there and started looting. Immediately, a group of monkeys appeared out of nowhere, and started attacking the robbers. 

The robbers in an effort to save themselves, started running. Some of them could not bear the attack and fell down unconscious. Thathachariar could see all the happenings as if in a dream. He saw the monkeys safeguarding the treasures after driving away the robbers. He could also see that Sri Hanuman himself was spearheading the attack. Overwhelmed with devotion, he sang a sloka in praise of Lord Hanuman called "Srimad Hanumath Vimsati". He vowed to build a temple there for Hanuman and that was how the Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman Temple came to be built. Sri Thathachariar also built a massive pond of almost 150 acres that has come to be known as "Thatha Samudram" after the Thathachariar. The place has also got its name of Ayyangarkulam  from the pond and thathachariar

The temple was closed when we reached. There is a lady living nearby, who is the caretaker of the temple and opens it for visitors on request.The main entrance to the temple is probably opened only on festival days. Entry is usually from the pond side. There is a 24 pillared mandapam on the banks of the pond that lead to the temple. This mandapam has about 85 different types of hanumans of various forms on the pillars. 

On entering the temple, we found the "Hanumad Vimsathi" written in Grantha script clear and bold, on an entire wall. It was indeed sad to say, that the wall had been painted in stripes of saffron, oblivious to the inscriptions on it. Despite this, the letters are so bold and clear that it was a delight to watch. 

My camera for some reason was giving me a lot of trouble. I could do nothing about it then, and for best part of my visit to this temple, I had to resort to shooting in video mode. Apologies for the poor quality of the pictures, which I hope to replace during my next visit.

There is a huge mutram in the temple, which has a strikingly handsome Garudalwar with outspread wings.

This remarkable Garudalwar, over six feet tall, stands in open air, with hands folded in prayer is sure to catch anyone's attention.

We moved towards the Sanctum Sanctorum, where Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman, stands alone. He stands with Anjali Hastha and without a crown, slightly bowing forward. It is believed that in Ayyangarkulam, people bit by  insects do not have any discomfort or physical problems, due to the presence and grace of Sanjeeviraya Hanuman. Praying at this temple is also powerful for yielding child birth, especially male progeny.

Here I must share my personal experience. When I heard that the Hanuman here grants wishes for childbirth, I prayed earnestly for my niece and my friend's daughter, who have both been looking to start a family for some time now. At the time of writing this post, I have received confirmations, that they are in the family way. This has come as a pleasant surprise for me, because my sincere prayer has been answered in only two weeks' time.

The Hanuman was a delight and I was really eager to capture him on camera after praying, but photography was not allowed in the Sanctum Sanctorum ,.  On our way out, we saw the idols of Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana piled up in an alcove! These were probably made later, but never installed.

There is a huge kitchen (Madappalli) with blackened walls and an awesome "Kal Uruli" and a huge stone bench that is used for making puliyodharai during festivals. 

The gopurams with typical Vijayanagar architecture have vegetation grown on them. There are two mandapams where the utsavars would be brought during festivals. The walls have "Dasavathara panels" in a poor state of maintenance.

We walked out and around the temple to witness an architectural wonder - the "Nata Bhavi". It has an arch, quite similar to the one at Hampi Thulabharam, but of smaller size, with a gajalakshmi on top. It contains a well like structure, with a 16 pillared underground hall, with cloistered verandahs. This structure is usually full of water. There is a mechanism (Yetram) to take out the water when required.

The Ayyangarkulam Nata Bhavi

On Chitra Pournami Day every year, Lord Varadaraja Perumal of Kanchipuram comes here, to this Nata Bhavi goes down the steps and into the hall, and then is taken around it,as part of the Vasanthosavam. Thirumanjanam is performed here for the Lord. We also observed that when we dropped a stone in the well on the opposite side of the Natabhavi we were able to see ripples in the water collected inside the Bhavi.

A fence has been created around the Nata Bhavi after it was featured in the tamil film "Naan Kadavul" where the villian keeps all the children and beggars hidden. It was sad to see two wheelers parked and men drinking behind this structure.

How to get here:

On the Kanchipuram - Vandavasi route, turn at the Vembakkam Koot Road. After you cross the Palar bridge, continue on SH116 you will reach the temple.

The address is Sanjeevirayar Hanuman Temple, No.35, Ayyangarkulam Village, Kanchipuram Taluk - 631502.(12.78'E, 79.67'N)

Contact Details: 

I will update this portion soon, as I was not able to get the telephone numbers of any archaka at the time of the visit.

Thanks Blogadda  for selecting this post as Spicy Saturday Pick on 25th February 2012 !

Kamban's Kali!

The Goddess Kali worshipped by Tamil Poet Kambar

A small tin sheet board with fading letters, used to catch my attention while travelling from Thiruvennainallur , to Sirumadurai where my in-laws live. With the words Vaidhehi Electricals occupying the best part of the board, the letters half visible would read " Kamban Vazhipatta Kali Kovilukku Sellum Vazhi" (Way to the Kali temple worshipped by the Tamil Poet Kambar). Every time I read the board, I would make a mental note to visit the temple. However, the time, somehow, did not come true.

About a year ago, I noticed the tin sheet board had been replaced with a concrete board with the details painted in bright colours. When I asked my father-in-law about it, he said that the temple had been renovated, and there were a number of children who came there to study every day. This gave me immense satisfaction, because I strongly believe that places of worship in villages should become part of social infrastructure and take a place in community development.

This Pongal we decided to visit the temple on our way back from Thiruvennainallur.We were soon at the board reading "Chinna Sevalai". The path that lead from the main road was clearly not meant for vehicle transport beyond a few metres. When we asked for directions, we were asked to park our car there and start walking.

At the point from where one has to walk to reach the temple

There were a couple of houses with thatched roofs at the beginning of the lane, after which one had to directly walk through the fields. The recently harvested sugarcane stubs and the high tension electricity wires hanging low were a potential threat as we slowly made our way towards the temple.

Way to the temple

In the middle of the greenery, one could see two brightly coloured shrines on either side of the lone statue that stood in the open field. As we went closer , we could see that the two shrines on either side were of recent times, and contained idols of Ganesha and Subramanya. Probably these were installed during the recent renovation.

The temple is visible amongst the trees and the greenery

My mind raced in excitement as I thought Here I am ....at the very place where Kambar - the Illustrious Tamil  Poet who wrote Kamba Ramayana, must have lived and played in his childhood. Born in a village called Therezhundhur in Tamilnadu, Kambar and his mother moved to Tiruvennainallur in search of livelihood. 

Here, they were offered shelter and support by Sadaiyappar, a rich farmer, popularly called Sadaiyappa Vallal, because of his generosity and philanthropy. 

Every morning, Sadaiyappa Vallal used to go to his fields on the outskirts of Thiruvennainallur. After inspecting the fields, he took bath in the nearby stream, and prayed to Goddess Kali who stood in the middle of his fields. Once Kambar came into Sadaiyappar's household, the farmer took the young boy along with him everyday when he went to worship Kali. From the very first day, Goddess Kali's divine and compassionate look had fallen on the young boy.

Seeing the boy's keen interest in studies, Sadaiyappar made arrangements to teach him Sanskrit and Tamil. Soon he was well versed in both languages. Whenever he desired, Sadaiyappar used to ask Kambar to read Sanskrit verses and poems and explain the contents to him in Tamil. Kambar's grasp of languages, and his excellent translation skills, made Sadaiyappar think how good it would be if Kambar could translate an epic into Tamil thereby making it easy for anyone to read and understand the whole story, even if they did not have an understanding of Sanskrit.

It was here, in the presence of this Kali, that Sadaiyappar expressed his desire for Kambar to translate the Valmiki Ramayana into Tamil, to which Kambar readily agreed. The auspicious inauguration  of "Ramakaadhai" happened at this very place.

The goddess stands in open air on a raised platform. No one knows the exact time from which she has been there, although people claim that she could be over 2000 years old. The idol is so old and blackened with oil and camphor that the features are not clearly identifiable. The best part of her body was covered by a Saree. I was tempted to take a picture of the entire idol, but was worried about incurring the villagers' wrath if I attempted that. 

As she is reckoned as the Goddess who made Kambar a scholar, several children come to this temple to study. People who visit here brings fruits and biscuits for the children. Several others bring their children to pray to her before exams or important events. The Goddess stands here, granting Gnana to all those who seek her. Better transport facilities and better awareness about the existence of this temple could bring many many more people here who could benefit from her benevolence. 

Bells above the Kali temple

How to reach here:

By road: Turn at Arasur if you are travelling on NH 45 - right if you are travelling from Chennai and Left if you are travelling from Trichy or elsewhere down south. About Seven kms down the road, you will reach Thiruvennainallur. At Thiruvennainallur, turn right on the road that goes to Thirukoilur. A couple of kilometres down the road, you will come across the cement board on the right side that shows the direction towards "Chinna Sevalai

By bus: Buses plying between Villupuram and Thirukovilur via Thiruvennainallur stop at Chinna Sevalai Village. One has to walk about 200 metres from the bus stand to reach the temple.

By train: Nearest railway station - Villupuram. I think Villupuram - Trichy passenger stops at Thiruvennainallur road although the exact timings are to be verified

By air: Nearest airports - Trichy and Chennai

Temple Timings: The temple is open all through the day.

God's Own Footwear!

God's Own Footwear? Sounds puzzling, does it? To understand better, you must travel back with me to the 8th Century. Puthur Village, in Tamilnadu, wore a festive look. People were seen dressed in their best, walking towards an exquisitely decorated marriage hall ,where the wedding rites of Nambi Arooran with the daughter of Shadongavi Shivachariyaar were being performed.

The groom looked majestic in his regal attire, wearing a crown of gold, and garlands of sweet smelling flowers. His body was anointed with sandalwood paste. Chains of gold, and sacred thread decorated his torso. With a smile on his face, he was performing the rituals, looking from the corner of his eye, at the beautiful maiden who sat by his side, her head bowed with shyness. The mangalsutra was being carried around to elders for their blessings. The drums and nadaswaram blared, announcing the auspicious time for the holy thread to be tied. 

At this point, an old brahmin walked into the marriage hall. His body was smeared with sacred ash. His long locks of hair and dangling Rudrakshas in his ears swung on either side of his face. He carried a staff in one hand and a palm manuscript in the other. Wooden "Padharakshaas" (footwear) clattered as he walked. " Stop the marriage" he cried out. "You are my bondsman", he said pointing to Nambi Arooran. 

The young man laughed. " How can a brahmin be a bondsman of another brahmin? Are you joking, Piththa (Mad Man)? Show me the record that I am your bondsman" he smirked. " Don't laugh, young man. Here I have- the document written by your grandfather as proof of your bondage" said the old man, waving the palm manuscript at Arooran. The young man lunged at the old brahmin, trying to grab the manuscript from him. The old man tried to dodge, but Arooran was too quick for him. 

He grabbed the palm leaf from the old man, and tore it up. " Is this fair?" cried the old man to the village elders gathered at the wedding. " I will now take him to my place - Thiruvennainallur, before the village elders to settle this dispute" he said. They had no choice but to permit it.

The old man walked to the Tiruvennainallur Temple, called Thiruvarutturai in those days, where the village elders were gathered at the hundred pillared hall. Arooran and his relatives followed him. " This man, Arooran tore up the record written by his grandfather, declaring him as my bondsman" he complained. The village elders questioned Arooran " Can you ensure success to your plea by tearing up the old man's record forcibly? What do you have to say on your behalf?

The hundred pillared hall where the case was discussed

Arooran replied angrily " This man is a piththan (mad man). How can a brahmin be a bondsman of another brahmin?" At this, the old man responded " The record torn by Arooran was a copy. I have the original record written by his grandfather here". He pulled out the document from his upper garment and gave it to the Karnam to read. The document mentioned that Aarooran, Aadhi Saivaite Brahmin of Naavalur, had executed the deed in favour of Piththan of Vennai Nalloor, in full possession of his senses and willingly, that he and his descendants would be his bondsmen. To confirm the signature, another document written by Nambi Aarooran's grandfather was brought out and compared and found to be a match.

The village elders ruled that Aarooran was indeed the bondsman of Piththan. They asked the old man, " You say you belong to this place. Show us your house". " Follow me to my abode" said the old brahmin, and started walking. Nambi Aarooran followed him. He walked into the temple and disappeared.

The young man was amazed. He ran into the temple, weeping, realising the Lord had indeed appeared before him, and argued for so long, to make him his bondsman. The Lord appeared again before Aarooran, with his consort, on Rishaba Vahana. 

The window seen above is where the Lord had appeared
before Sundarar

"Oh Sweet Lord! What grace have I gained to be restrained by you this way?" he wept. The Lord narrated how he - Aalaala Sundarar had been his "Anukka Thondar" (personal assistant) in Kailash.He had desired two of the Lord's attendants - Kamalini and Anindhithai. The Lord granted him the boon to be born on earth to attain these earthly pleasures. Sundarar had requested him to rescue him if he was found to falter which was why he had appeared in the guise of an old brahmin. The Lord asked Sundarar to sign hymns in praise of him. He also gave him the title of "Van Thondaar" as he had bitterly argued with the Lord. Awe-inspired, Sundarar could not think of how to sing on the Lord. The Lord prompted, " You had called me Piththan (Mad Man) during our argument. Start with that word". And so Sundarar sang " Piththa, Pirai Soodi, Pemmaane Arulaala" - The first hymn to have been sung by Sundarar, who came to be known as Sundaramoorthy Nayanar, which is now featured in the Seventh Thirumurai of the Devaram.

The footwear worn by the Lord when he appeared as an old man

The Padharakshaas worn by the Lord Himself and left behind when he disappeared into the temple, have been  preserved safely during and after Sundarar's time in the Thiruvennainallur Kirubapureeswarar Temple. Today it is covered in silver and placed in a glass chamber in the Sanctum Sanctorum. The priest, after offering harathi to the Lord, also shows harathi to his footwear and worships it with utmost reverence. Even today people take back a pinch of sand from the temple and preserve it in their pooja room, as the Lord Himself had walked here. 

Poondi Madha Basilica

Standing outside the Poondi Madha Basilica

I had the grace of visiting the Poondi Madha Basilica near Thanjavur recently. It was a totally unplanned visit. We were passing by the highway when we saw the Board reading "Way to Poondi Madha Basilica". Having heard so much about the grace of The Poondi Madha, and how she has created many miracles in the lives of her devotees, we quickly decided to detour and reach the Basilica. It was one pm in the afternoon and the church was relatively empty. The white tower of the Basilica stood out from a distance, inviting those eager to visit the Basilica and bask in the compassion of the Divine Mother.

Rows of Statues of Saints line the path to the Basilica

 We walked slowly through the lane lined with statues of Saints, into the gates guarded by angels. There is a huge notice board giving bus and train routes from various parts of India to the Basilica along with timings. Rooms are available for those coming from other places to stay and pray at the church.

History of the Poondi Madha Basilica:

• The original dome where the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Poondi is placed was built during 1714 - 1718 by Rev.Fr. Constantine Joseph Beschi. Tamilnadu knows him by the name of "Veeramamunivar" (வீரமாமுனிவர்) . An Italian Missionary, he mastered the Tamil language and has created several literary works that earned him the title of "Father of Tamil Prose". His "Thembaavani" and "Paramartha Guru Kadhai" are famous even today. The Tamilnadu Government has honoured him by placing his statue on the Marina Beach.
• In 1956, the then Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Lourdes Xavier, whose tomb is seen at the entrance of the chapel, where people stop by and pray, wanted to rebuild the dome which was in a state of damage, requiring immediate attention. Not having sufficient funds to carry out the repairs, he fasted and prayed to the Holy Mother for 15 days. On the 15th day morning, he heard an inner voice and  told the people that the front portion of the church would come down on its own by that afternoon. Exactly as he said, the building collapsed. This happened on 22nd November, 1956 and the reconstruction was completed by 2nd May 1964.
• The Holy Mother appeared to Bernadette in 1858 in Lourdes in France. Statues of Our Lady of Lourdes was sent to different parts of the World. Out of the three statues that came to India, one was brought to and remains in the Poondi Shrine. This statue is so unique, that while looking at it, one gets a feeling of looking at a live person. 

• Since the time the statue was installed in the church, a mysterious brightness has been filling up the entire church during night time. People started special devotion to Our Lady and several miracles started happening here, which continue till day!
• A small piece of the original cross of Jesus was brought to the church by Rev.Fr.Rayappa in 1976. One can see this below the Statue of the Holy Mother.

Relic of the Original Cross (Photo Courtesy: Poondi Matha Basilica)

• Several thousands of devotees throng the Poondi Madha Basilica on September 8th every year, the Birthday of Our Holy Mother. A procession is taken out in an ornamental chariot which is witnessed by people irrespective of caste and religion, who gather and pray here on this auspicious day.
• The church has a membership scheme whereby one can pay as less as Rs.100 as a monthly subscription. When the amount reaches Rs.5000/- the person becomes a life member and the person is remembered and prayed during every mass offered in the shrine.

We knelt down and prayed at the altar. Looking at the Holy Mother who looked skywards in prayer, seemed to take away our burdens and lighten our hearts. After praying we went across the church, to the Museum, which houses all the articles and artifacts given by devotees whose prayers have been answered. From parts of the body in silver for diseases and ailments cured, to stethoscopes, pens, gold and silver jewellery, house models, several articles have been donated with devotion and gratitude. Letters thanking the Holy Mother for Her grace in their lives are attached to the artifacts and bear testimony to the various miracles that happen here every day.

There is also a Depot in the Church complex which sells various items like pictures, idols, books, CDs, Calendars, Bibles, Rosaries etc. Several people are seen here purchasing articles of their choice. Holy oil and water are also available in this depot. Since it was past 2 pm, we moved out towards the restaurant opposite to the church. On our way out, several geese cackled and played in the lawns outside. We stood for a while, taking in the beautiful surroundings. 

Where is Poondi Madha Basilica:

The Poondi Madha Basilica is in Alamelupuram Poondi near Thirukattupalli in Thanjavur District of Tamilnadu.

Nearest Airport: Trichy - 45 kms

Nearest Railway Stations: - Budalur - 18 kms, Thanjavur - 35 kms, Trichy - 35 kms

Bus: Several State and Private Buses are available from Chennai, Vailankanni, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Trichy, Kallanai, Lalgudi, Pullambadi and Perambalur.

Contact Details: 91-4362-280422

Address:

The Rector,

Poondi Madha Basilica,

Poondi, Thirukattupalli Via,

Thanjavur Pin: 613105

Mass Timings:

Weekdays - 6 am, 11.15 am and 5.15 pm

First and Third Saturday of Every Month - 6 am, 9.30 am, 11.15 am, 5.15 pm

First Saturday - Prayer Service followed by Mass - 9 pm and 12 pm

Sundays - 6 am, 8.30 am, 11.15 am, 12.30 pm (English) and 5.15 pm

For further information on the Basilica check out the official website of the shrine here

Main Altar  (Photo Courtesy: Poondi Madha Basilica)

If you happen to be at this part of the world, do stop by to pray here. Peace of mind and relief guaranteed! 

Aalayam Kanden wishes its readers a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous 2012!

Acknowledgements:

Sincere thanks to Mr. Ajoy Leo whose video of the Holy Mother has been used in this post, and to the Poondi Madha Basilica for pictures of the Main Altar and the Relic of the Original Cross.