Velankanni Festival Tour|Festival Tour of Velankanni

Mysterious legends surround the church. A story goes behind the festival Our Merciful Mother rescued a few Portuguese merchant sailors from a violent storm, which wrecked their ship. When the merchants reached the shore of Velankanni they were taken by local fisherman to the thatched chapel. To give thanks and pay tribute to Our Lady, they built a small permanent chapel on their return trip.velankanni festival tour, festival tour of velankanni, festival tour of velankanni tamilnadu, fair and festival of velankanni india On subsequent visits they improved on it. The merchants dedicated the chapel to Our Lady on September 8th to celebrate the feast of her nativity and to mark the date of their safe landing to Velankanni.

Today, the celebration of this feast is an annual festival which lasts for 9 days and draws more than a million and a half pilgrims. velankanni festival tour, festival tour of velankanni, festival tour of velankanni tamilnadu, fair and festival of velankanni india Velankanni attracts more pilgrims than any other sacred shrine in India. Not only do multitudes of Catholic travel there throughout the year but many non-Christians visit as well. Hundreds of miraculous cures are reported every year

Mahabalipuram Dance Festival
MahabalipuramThe internationally acclaimed and globally renowned "Mahabalipuram Dance Festival" is organized by the Department of Tourism, every year in Mahabalipuram - the renowned and ancient 7th century centre for Pallava culture and arts.

The Dance festival starts on the 25th of December every year and is conducted on all Saturdays and Government holidays, upto February first week. Dancers and musicians of repute from India and abroad thrill the crowds every year. velankanni festival tour, festival tour of velankanni, festival tour of velankanni tamilnadu, fair and festival of velankanni india Folk dances of India are an added attraction.

Sit before an open-air 'stage' created 13 centuries ago, the incredible monolithic rock sculptures of the Pallavas, next to the sea in this ancient city of Mahabalipuram. Lovers of dance will be treated to a very unique and unforgettably aesthetic event: Bharadanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi, presented by the very best exponents of the art besides folk dances.

Natyanjali Dance Festival
Natyanjali Dance FestivalStarts from the day of Mahashivaratri, for 5 days. Chidambaram is situated along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, 75 kms south of Pondicherry. Lord Nataraja, according to the Hindu mythology is a cosmic dancer. He is called the Lord of dances. This is an opportunity for all dancers, from all India, to perform and to pay their tribute to Lord Nataraja. The Natyanjali festival, which brings all the prominent dancers of India, together on the same platform, opens on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri, in the month of February. It is performed at the 'Prakara' of the temple, and the dancers, full of intense bliss and devotion, with their evocative abhinaya, offers their dance to the great divinity, Lord Nataraja.

Festivals have great value in Chidambaram. The Natyanjali festival dedicated to the Cosmic Dancer (Lord Shiva) is celebrated every year during February-March. Lord Nataraja, according to Hindu mythology is the cosmic dancer. He is also called "the Lord of Dances".

Natyanjali festival is designed to promote a universal message of 'Unity in Diversity' conveyed in the universal language of music and dance.

How to get there ?
Air : The nearest airport is at Trichy, at a distance of 160-km.

Rail : The railway station is close to the Nataraja Temple. Express and passenger trains leave for Chennai four times daily, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur twice daily, Tiruchirapalli and Madurai.

Road : Chidambaram is well connected by road with Chennai, Pondicherry, Madurai, Thanjavur, etc.

Velankanni is situated on the coastal line of Bay of Bengal at a distance of 14 kms. South of Nagappattinam.

Sacred Arokkiya Madha Church here is a holy place for Christians.

Peoples of all religion offer their worship at this Church.

The festival during August and September is very famous, drawing a very large crowed of devotees and tourists.

The most popular pilgrim centre for Catholic Christians of Tamil Nadu Velankanni houses, the Church of our Lady of Health. This shrine is also visited by people of all faiths. The nearest Hotel Tamil Nadu unit - 14 Kms- is at Nagapattinam.

 

 

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