Velankanni to Koothattukulam
About Velankanni
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Velankanni Green Tree Tours and Travels , also known as Vailankanni or "Velanganni", is a panchayat town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a small town located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal 350 km south of Chennai (Madras) and 12 km south of Nagapattinam on the Coromandel Coast, in Tamil Nadu, India.
Once a port that traded with Rome and Greece, the tiny commercial center gradually lost its importance to the larger Nagapattinam. The canal built to link that city with Vedaranyam still lies to the west of Vailankanni. The Vellayar, a minor branch of the Cauvery River, runs on the south of the village and flows into the sea.
The site of an important Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to Our lady of Good Health, Vailankanni was one of the worst hit areas in the tsunami that followed the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
Tourist Attractions in Velankanni.
Make your Tour to Velankanni memorable by visiting these famous tourist places near Velankanni –
1)Velankanni Church
In Velankanni, the shrine here is dedicated to Our Lady of Health, the Madonna of Velankanni, and is well-known as Sacred Arogya Matha Church. Fully consecrated to Virgin Mary and the Heavenly Mother, this church has an extended Basilica. There is also a shrine of Our Lady of Sorrow, where the sorrowing Mother is portrayed carrying Infant Jesus in her arms.
2)Church Museum
In Velankanni, Situated opposite the Basilica, this museum has diverse exhibits, with biblical incidents depicted on both sidewalls. Also, the precious offerings made by the devotees are displayed as well.
Places around Velankanni
Explore the land of Velankanni, visiting the places around it, while on a Tour to Velankanni –
3) Nagapattinam
In Velankanni,One of the popular harbors of India, Nagapattinam on the Coromandel Coast is home to the Shri Kayahorana Swami Neelayathatchi Amman Temple, Sowriraja Perumal Temple, and Nellukkadai Mariamman Temple. Other places worth a visit here are the mini museum, the lofty lighthouse and the sprawling golden beach.
4) Sri Rangam Temple
In Velankanni, The first Vaishnava temple in South India, this temple, located in Trichy, is the premier amongst the 108 Vaishnava divyadesas.
Fairs & Festivals
5) Arokkaiyamatha festival
In Velankanni,Commencing on 29th of August, this 10-day grand festival commemorating the Feast of Our Lady is celebrated at the Velankanni Church. Pilgrims from different parts of India and even abroad throng to the site, bathe religiously in the sea, and tonsuring their heads walk on their knees or roll up to the shrine as rituals.
Thus by visiting the Velankanni, the above places can be seen thorugh Green Tree Tours and Travels
About Koothattukulam
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Green Tree Tours and Travels takes you to the Koothattukulam is situated in the Muvattupuzha Taluk, towards the South East corner of Ernakulam District in Kerala, South India. It is a junction of three districts Ernakulam, Idukki and Kottayam, and its people follow a mixed culture of Ernakulam and Kottayam (predominantly the latter one). Koothattukulam covers an area of 2318.71 hectares, lies 17 km to the south of Muvattupuzha town and 38 km to the north of Kottayam town via the Main Central Road which passes through this village. Ernakulam is about 50 km Palai at 26 km and Thodupuzha 23 km from here.
Koothattukulam, which had once been a part of Kottayam District, has Palakuzha, Thirumarady, Veliyannur and Elanji as the neighbouring Panchayats. The annual income of this 'special grade panchayat' is about Rs. 20,00,000/-. Most people are engaged in agriculture, farming and trading. The main cash crops are rubber, paddy, coconut, areca nut, ginger, turmeric, 'kacholam' and pepper.
It is believed that originally this area had been ruled by the four Brahmin families of Athimannu, Kottanadu, Kattimuttam and Pariyaram. Today the Koothattukulam Grama Panchayat consists of the four distinct territories (locally known as 'karas') of Koothattukulam, Vadakara, Paittakulam and Kizhakombu and has a population of about 17,700.
There are interesting folklores connected with the current names of each of the territories. One of them relates to a lady who, while digging in an isolated hillock inadvertently hit the head of a sunken idol with her implement. Immediately, blood began to ooze out of the idol's head and on seeing this the terrified lady took to her heels. This shock and terror upset her balance of mind, driving her ultimately to madness and she spent the rest of her days wandering aimlessly ('koothady') from place to place. The place thus came to be called as 'Koothattakalam' which over a period of time became known as Koothattukulam. The spot where the idol's blood is believed to have spilt was called Chorakuzhy ('pool of blood').
Prior to the annexation of this area to his kingdom by the Marthandavarma Maharaja of Travancore, the land had been ruled by the kings of Vadakkumkoor. They had a weapons training centre at Oonakkur, and so, this place came to be known as 'payattukalam', which is the present-day Paittakkulam.It is believed that some members of the Keezhekkombil family who were experts in domesticating wild elephants came over from Elanji and settled over here, which is why the place came to be known as Kizhakombu.
In the beginning of the tenth century, a group of devotees from Vadakara in Malabar set out for the church at Kuravilangad, carrying with them a picture of Yohannan Mamdana. On their way to Kuravilangad, these people rested at a place near Paittakulam and on account of this, the area was subsequently known as Vadakara.
In his famous book 'Keralathile Sthalacharithrangal', the prominent historian and researcher V. V. K. Valath has pointed out that the cultural history of Koothattukulam dates back to the era of Buddhism and Jainism. Koothattukulam, thus, has an illustrious cultural history and the same is reflected in its very name, which suggests that this must have been a land of 'kooth' and 'aattam'. Looking at the forays made by current generation of this place into the arena of art and culture,such a guess is not too far off.
Even about 100 years back, establishments like a quasi-judicial court, hospital, sub-registrar's office, police station, post office, rest house (circuit house), tourist bungalow, Devaswam Board office and an excise inspectorate, all of which normally form part of a District HQs set up, had been established here.
From time immemorial, Koothattukulam has been a shining example of religious tolerance and comity. Hindus and Christians live here in complete harmony. Christian churches steeped in the cultural traditions of theBuddhist-Jainist era is a characteristic feature of this place. Though Christians form the majority of the population, there are a number of places of worship belonging to both the religions. The Mahadeva temple at Koothattukulam, the Onamkunnu Kavu, the Shiva temple at Arjunanmala, the Devi temple at Kizhakombu and the St. John's Syrian Jacobite Church at Vadakara are just a few of the places of worship dating back to several centuries. In addition, there is the Shirdisai temple, which is open to all communities, irrespective of any religious affiliations.
Green Tree Tours and Travels takes you to the Koothattukulam and makes the journey comfortable.