Media report: Walking Pilgrimage from all over India to Velankanni: Faith expression of people
"More than 20,000 devotees walk to Velankanni ahead of flag-hoisting
CHENNAI: On August 18 and 19, a sea of peach flowed from the Annai Velankanni Shrine in Besant Nagar in the direction of Velankanni, where the famed church dedicated to the Virgin of Velai stands. A walking pilgrimage - not unlike the Way of St James at Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and the varkaris heading to Pandharpur in Maharashtra - the number of devotees making their way from Besant Nagar exceeded 20,000, according to Fr Francis Michael, the parish priest of Annai Velankanni.
Easily identified by their peach-coloured attire the men, women and children are making the 340km trek to Velankanni to witness the flag hoisting ceremony on August 29 that marks the beginning of the week-long schedule of prayer and devotion leading up to the birthday of Mother Mary on September 8.
Every year, a number of naturalised Australians, originally from Chennai, also make the pilgrimage. Rex Jacob, whose brother Lancy founded the Velankanni Walkers group in 1974, is on his 10th walk. "There are seven other Anglo-Indians from Australia who are walking with me," he says, en route. "After migrating to Australia, I never thought I'd walk the pilgrimage again, but my daughter insisted I return. Each of us on the road have received tremendous blessings, and we're returning to thank our Mother."
It's also an occasion to regroup with friends, chimes in Conrad Dcruz. "While the men walk the length of the pilgrimage, our families will join us directly in Velankanni today. In all, there'll be 22 of us from Australia convening at the church," he says.
Most walking pilgrims turn to prayer to help them rise above the searing sun and other treacherous elements on the road, including rash drivers. "We lost a fellow pilgrim, 54-years-old, to rash driving last year," remembers Paul Vitalis, who is on his 33rd walk with the Velankanni Walkers. The group counted 45 heads in 1974 when it first set out; today the count is 80. "The youngest among us was a 17-year-old, the oldest 77," reckons Vitalis. He says for reasons for safety, they insist only men travel, but he has increasingly seen women, and even children on the road.
They bed down around 10.30pm, and lace up again at 2.30am to cover as much ground as possible out of the sun. Fields, front porches of strangers, bus stand, schools, churches - any level ground doubles as a bed. "We sleep on a 5X3 feet plastic sheet and use our bags as pillows," says Nirmal Paul, on his 11th pilgrimage. "I started walking as a thanksgiving sacrifice, but encountering such a concentration of faith has touched me so deeply that I now walk every year," he says."
CHENNAI: On August 18 and 19, a sea of peach flowed from the Annai Velankanni Shrine in Besant Nagar in the direction of Velankanni, where the famed church dedicated to the Virgin of Velai stands. A walking pilgrimage - not unlike the Way of St James at Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and the varkaris heading to Pandharpur in Maharashtra - the number of devotees making their way from Besant Nagar exceeded 20,000, according to Fr Francis Michael, the parish priest of Annai Velankanni.
Easily identified by their peach-coloured attire the men, women and children are making the 340km trek to Velankanni to witness the flag hoisting ceremony on August 29 that marks the beginning of the week-long schedule of prayer and devotion leading up to the birthday of Mother Mary on September 8.
Every year, a number of naturalised Australians, originally from Chennai, also make the pilgrimage. Rex Jacob, whose brother Lancy founded the Velankanni Walkers group in 1974, is on his 10th walk. "There are seven other Anglo-Indians from Australia who are walking with me," he says, en route. "After migrating to Australia, I never thought I'd walk the pilgrimage again, but my daughter insisted I return. Each of us on the road have received tremendous blessings, and we're returning to thank our Mother."
It's also an occasion to regroup with friends, chimes in Conrad Dcruz. "While the men walk the length of the pilgrimage, our families will join us directly in Velankanni today. In all, there'll be 22 of us from Australia convening at the church," he says.
Most walking pilgrims turn to prayer to help them rise above the searing sun and other treacherous elements on the road, including rash drivers. "We lost a fellow pilgrim, 54-years-old, to rash driving last year," remembers Paul Vitalis, who is on his 33rd walk with the Velankanni Walkers. The group counted 45 heads in 1974 when it first set out; today the count is 80. "The youngest among us was a 17-year-old, the oldest 77," reckons Vitalis. He says for reasons for safety, they insist only men travel, but he has increasingly seen women, and even children on the road.
They bed down around 10.30pm, and lace up again at 2.30am to cover as much ground as possible out of the sun. Fields, front porches of strangers, bus stand, schools, churches - any level ground doubles as a bed. "We sleep on a 5X3 feet plastic sheet and use our bags as pillows," says Nirmal Paul, on his 11th pilgrimage. "I started walking as a thanksgiving sacrifice, but encountering such a concentration of faith has touched me so deeply that I now walk every year," he says."
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