Velankanni is a small yet significant town of Tamil Nadu. Located on the eastern coast of India, on the Coromandel Coast Line, it is one of the chief pilgrimages in the country for the Catholics. It is a panchayat town falling within the district of Nagapattinam and has been chosen as one of the heritage cities by Indian government. A former major port city that traded with Rome and Greece, the trading significance is pretty much lost today because of the formation of another larger city Nagapattinam. The city is also one of the cities that received the worst impact of tsunami of 2004. It is home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health which is visited by twenty million pilgrims from India as well as from rest of the world.
Velankanni is a very small town and home to a small population which is probably still in thousands. Majority of the people who one will see here are the pilgrims and tourists who have come here on a spiritual journey or to spend a relaxing vacation relishing the beauty of the place and checking out the places to visit in Velankanni. The place basically depends on rail and road connectivity for being linked to rest of India. Due to the large number of tourists and pilgrims visiting the place, there are several buses that are owned and operated by state government as well as private bodies that run between between the town and Bangalore, Chennai, Salem, Madurai, Trivandrum, and Coimbatore. The major railway station of the town is the Velankanni Railway Station which is served by regular express and normal trains. There is no airport within the radius of 150 k.m. The closest airport is the Tiruchirapalli International Airport which is situated about 165 k.m. away. A popular mode to access the town is taking flights to Chennai International Airport, then boarding the Velankanni-Chennai Egmore Link Express train.
Amongst the most popular places to visit in Velankanni, the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health simply tops the list. The church is one of the oldest Catholic churches in the country. Its history traces back to 16th century with various religious beliefs being associated with its foundation. It is a beautiful church painted in white and featuring Gothic style of architecture. The sheer beauty of the church reaches another level during the festive seasons and on the specific nights when it is lit with numerous light bulbs.
Located a few kilometers away from the city is the beautiful Murugan Temple which is dedicated to Lord Singaravelan. It is one of the most ornate temples and has a large complex with a capacity to hold of thousands of pilgrims. The temple is one of the prime tourist itineraries and is well-connected to Velankanni.
To effectively accommodate all the travelers visiting the town, the hotels in Velankanni are available in different budget brackets. The price of your lodging basically depends on the time duration of your stay, commodities availed, the season in which you are visiting the place, and your bargaining skills.