Velankanni is in the Tamil Nadu State on the coast of Bay of Bengal. It is a Parish in the Nagapattinam district. Velanakanni is a popular pilgrimage site for the Christians in India. Thousands of devotees visit the shrine of “Our Lady of Good Health’ situated in Velankanni. It is the mother Mary whom they worship. The mother is known as the healer of illness. She is said have done many miracles. The city is a small one. The population of the city exceeds ten thousand. It was a port connecting Rome and Greece in the earlier times. There is a basilica dedicated to Velankaniyamma (Our Lady of Good Health) built in the Gothic style. It is a beautiful structure in white color. The church offers prayers in Tamil, Malayalam and also in English. The Church was built around 16th century and was modified by the Portuguese sailors. It is a Basilica now. Devotees who have been cured for their medical sickness come here to offer their service. In the month of August a fair takes place lasting for ten days. On September 8th the feast of Our Lady would be celebrated.
How To Reach: Velankanni is located 350 km away from Chennai and about 12 km from Nagapattinam. You can reach via Pondichery or via Chennai. Velankanni is connected to Goa and Nagpattinam through passenger trains. Nagapattinam is well connected to other major cities by train. At about 165 km lies the Tiruchirapalli International Airport which is the nearest airport to Velankanni.
