History of
the Sirumalai Annai Shrine
Geographical
Location of the Sirumalai Shrine:
The
Sirumalai Shrine known also as ‘Amali-malai’ belongs to W.Pudupatti Parish of
Srivilliputhur Vicariate – one of the seven vicariates of the Archdiocese of
Madurai. The shrine is located at the cross road of Krishnankoil Stop, falling
at 70 km from Madurai to Chenkottai National Highway.
History
of the Shrine:
The
Christians of Marava caste who were the proselytes by St. John de Britto, lived
in the region of Ramnad. By then, it was ruled by Marudu Pandias who, on accunt
of religious intolerance and hatred towards the British rule, started
persecuting the christians. To escape from their hardship, the Christians moved
to the region of Sirumalai which was under British control. Having been settled
down at Sirumalai they set up a petty grotto there for the Mother who saved
their lives and properties from being destroyed. At present, although these
people have gone to get settled at Pandalkudi near Arupukottai, they have made it a custom
to come to Sirumalai once in a year, slaughter the sheep, offer the sacrifice
and enjoy feasting all the day. It is also very sentimental to witness these
people praying to the Mother with tears, hitting their heads at the wall of the
church.
History
of the Church:
When
the first parish priest of W. Pudupatti, Fr. Morier, a Jesuit from foreign
country, went to celebrate mass at Nathampatti in the evening, heavy wind and
rain turned to be a hurdle for his travel. The bullocks of the cart, when
nearing Sirumalai, lied down without any reason. He could not further make a
move of the cart in spite of many trials to wake them up. So the saintly priest
happened to spare the night at the bottom of the hill. Then, Mohter Mary
graciously appeared to him on his dream with a demand of unavoidable
requisition i.e. ‘Would you construct a church for me that the people might be
gathered and blessed?’ The priest woke up with a fret and found the bullocks
standing ready for travel. He was obsessed with the thought of the vision as he
returned from Nathampatti after the celebration of the mass. All the people of
the village willingly seconded the idea of construction of an altar in
remembrance of the Mother.
The
History of the Church Location:
When the priest and others went there with
a mind of finding a location where the church could be built up, a band of
wolves of was found in a spot. All of them ran away into the forest. But in a
particular place, one of the wolves stood in a posture of praying, lifting both
the front legs up and went away. Immediately then, the priest laid a
corner-stone in that cite and fixed it as a place shown by the Mother and began
the work of the construction of the church.
He
also easily acquired the land around the church from the rulers of the time by
his political prudence. He planted hundreds of trees that bear fruits in order
that the hill could look greenish. These trees served as shelter and yielded
fruits for people who come seeking the blessing of the Mother.
A
fount of Wonder:
It
cannot but be a wonder that the gorgeous hill of Sirumalai and the place around
it turned to be a mount of holiness. Right at the top of the mount about 350 meters
height is found the fount of wonder. Be it a rainy season or hot summer, which
the fount is always overflowing just like the abundant grace of Mother Mary, is
a rare vision here. Yet another wonder is that the altar of the church at the
bottom of the hill and the fount at the top is set straight on the exact line.
These facts stand as witness for the kindness and glory of the mother.
Miracles
and the Mother:
The
devotees who come seeking the blessings of the mother leave their stories of
tears as petitions in the dumb box. The happenings of miracles here are
proclaimed as the witnesses of divine grace. Thus, the more the needs of the
people, the greater abounds the divine grace.
A
Miracle for Social Justice:
Once
a family of the so-called low caste desired to come to the festival of the
shrine like all other people and to sacrifice a goat. They cooked and wanted to
share that with other people. But, since they were of low caste, the so-called
high caste people refused to get the sharing from them. With deep sorrow, knowing
not what to do, they dumped the meal on a mat, covered it and buried it to the
ground. After a year when the same family came to the festival, they dug the
pit and they were greatly astonished. For, the food that was buried remained
not only intact but also hot! With mother, there is no discrimination on the
basis of caste and religion. She accepts the food offered by the poor and the
simple. The incident also signifies that all ought to share and eat it.
The
Feast of the Shrine:
As
the days went by, the fame of the shrine spread all around. People gathered in
multitude for the festival held in the month of May from surrounding hamlets,
villages, towns and cities. A grand feast was celebrated on third Saturday and
Sunday in the month of May. People came to the blessed feet of the Mother from
Watrap, Pudupatti, Koomapatti, Nathampatti, Srivillipudu, Rajapalayam,
Sundranachiapuram, Kunnur, Sivakasi, Krishnan kovil, Gangapuram, etc. They were
blessed with good health. Many realized a change in their spiritual life. As
they came to Sirumalai, they could go deep into their hearts, examine their
conscience, partake in the sacraments of reconciliation and the holy Eucharist
and found comfort and solace of heart.
Spirituality
is not concerned about an individual rather it is a collective effort. The
festival also instructs the very thing. It creates a greater opportunity for
social relation. That they start together, travel together, stay together, cook
and eat together is a very good custom seen among them. Human person is not an
individual but a social being we can see an expanded community here on festival
days. It is a society with no discrimination. There is none among them as high
or low, the poor or rich, the master or the slave.
Benediction
would be held at night, followed by midnight mass and then ensued the car
procession. People would rest in the moonlight and enjoy sweet breeze. There
were also people who stayed in the caves of the hills. There would be a mass
celebration in the early morning at the grotto of the hill. In order to attend
the mass, the people would wake up early in the morning, complete their
habitual duties actively. They take bath in the common water tank. For, bodily
cleanliness is also necessary for the Dharshan of the Mother.
Mass
at the grotto was very special. It could enable people to visualize the
apparition of the Mother at the cave of Masbiel in Lourdes. In the beginning
the festivals were celebrated only in lantern lights and later by generator
lights. Now with the connection of electricity festival is luminously celebrated.
The
Shrine of Social Celebration:
They have the custom of making tonsure to
offer to the mother. To offer hair means to handover one’s power to God. The
crown symbolizes authority of a king to reign. The personality of the present
generation is marked with their hair. Hair style decides the beauty, the
appearance, and the youthful charm of an individual. Offering of hair is an
external symbol of the attitude of complete submission that God is the source
of all and to him everything belongs. Making complete shave of head at one’s
birth or at the death of someone close has been a traditional practice of the
Tamils. Besides this, the people who make ear-hole on their ears also go for
tonsure.
The
custom of making stud-hole also prevails here. The devotees praise the same
thing here in the shrine. These rituals play a vital role in the growth of the
children. They stay in the rooms, dine in the refectory available here and go
home happily. It is a great pleasure as they stay; dine at the foot of the Mother.
Not
only the Christians but also the people of other religions have made it a
custom to come and celibate their home-celebrations here. The newly-wed couples
come and exchange garlands in front of the Mother and start their family life.
The shrine has become part and partial of the people’s living and the land.
Festival Market:
During
the festival the holy articles like portraits of the saints, statues, rosaries,
candles etc. are sold. Along with this, there are variety of fun games set up
to entertain the kids. There is so much of ballons, pipes, and kinds of candies.
The merchants for flowers and fruits like mangoes, guauas, tender-coconut, and variety
of other fruits, set up a mini market on days of the festivity.
The
Present State of the Shrine:
The
grotto and tower for the Mother was built by Fr. Morier in the year 1926. But
the construction of the tower was not complete. Fr. M.P. Alphonse restarted the
construction work of the shrine in 1993. The construction of the tower was completed
during the tenure of Fr. Albin Justus. The house for priests was built when Fr.
Siluvai Michael was here. By his onerous efforts, they started praying way of
the cross on the hill way. The shrine began to shine when Fr. Lukas served as
parish priest. It was he who constructed the cave-temple at the place where the
apparition of the Mother took place. Chapel for the Blessed Sacrament also was
built by him. In the year 2002 he began the construction work of road-side
grotto dedicated to the mother in the name ‘good health’.
With
the contribution of R.C. School teachers, the works of the grotto was finished.
In the year 2010, the way to the cave temple containing 33 steps was laid.
These steps were set-up to remind the people of the earthly living of Jesus.
The
holy cross was established at the top of the hill on April 10, 2011. The stations
of way of the cross were also set up on the way toward uphill. The practice of
praying way of the cross with celebration of mass at evening of every Sunday
began during the lent of 2011. Houses for the pilgrims and lavatories will soon
be constructed for their convenience.
Events at the Shrine:
From
2008, the holy Eucharist is celebrated at 11.30 in the morning on the first
Sundays. From December 8, 2009 onwards the mass is celebrated at the routine of
8 days. On the first Saturdays of every month a decorated car procession with
recitation of Rosary begins from the good-health grotto on the road side and
the mass continues. From July 17, 2011, onward the mass is celebrated at the
altar established on the hill. Third Sunday of every month, the mass is
celebrated on the hill top altar at 5. 00 p.m in the evening.