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Poondi Puthumay Matha Pilligrim Center

Poondi is a tiny village, situated in between the rivers Cauvery and Colleroon Alamelupuram in Thiruvaiyaru taluk of Thanjavur district of the state of Tamilnadu in South India.The nearest town about 3kms away, is Thirukattupalli. In the beginning of the eighteenth century (1714-1718) a great Italian Jesuit missionary Rev. Fr. Constantine Joseph Beschi S.J. popularly known as "Veeramamunivar" built a church and named it as the church of "Mary Queen of Immaculate Conception". It is in the dome of this church the statue of the miraculous Lady of Poondi is placed. This miraculous statue is one of the three statues that were made in France after the apparition of Our Lady at Lourdes. Rev.Fr.Darres, MEP, brought this staue from France.

According to available records when the French Missionary Fathers ( MEP Fathers ) where taking care of the Pastrol Mission in Kumbakonam Diocese, Father Mette Louis Jules started a Catechetical School in Poondi around the year 1900 to train Catechetics.

poondi matha basilica

Rev.Fr.Lourdes Xavier after being appointed as Parish Priest of Poondi on 1st September 1955 gave immediate attention to improve the condition of the Church, the central roof of which was in a bad condition and it was feared that it might collapse at any moment causing great damage. So he consulted an engineer. They wanted to demolish only the central roof without any damage to the front elevation, the doom and the altar. Fr.Lourdes Xavier was worried as it would cost too much and it would be beyond his means to find the necessary funds to reconstruct the Church. Fr.Lourdes Xavier a great devotee of Our Lady, trusted and prayed to Our Lady of Poondi to reveal to him a way out to this problem. Inspired by an inner voice he predicted that the central roof of the church would come down on a particular day and time and he did. This is vividly rembembered and described by people even today.

His Eminence Simon Cardinal Lourdusamy declared the Shrine of our Lady of Poondi as a permanent pilgrimage centre of our Lady of Immaculate Conception. On 03.08.1999, the shrine was declared as Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II.

Our Facilities

  1. Basilica Depot

    1. Mass Registration Office

    2. Religious Articles – Holy Books /Medals /Rosaries /Vestments/Candles, etc.

  2. Availability of Rooms for Accommodation

  3. Tonsure Hall

  4. Availability of Community Hall for Religious and Social Functions

  5. Fr. Lourdu Xavier Restaurant

  6. Marriage Bureau

  7. Children’s Park

  8. Two and Four Wheelers Parking lot

  9. Bus Connections to major towns and cities

  10. Common Toilets for the Pilgrims

  11. Drinking water

  12. STD & ISD Booth

poondimatha facility

Our Activities



1. Help to the Poor Children & Widows

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Poondi Madha Trust is trying to extend help to widows and widowers. In a project, 819 widows and 152 widowers of Perambalur District were helped with free dhotis and saris.

2. Free Education Aid

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Poondi Madha Trust is trying to extend help to as many school going poor children as possible in the vicinity with extra uniforms, note books, school bags, financial help, scholarship etc. ln a highly competitive field of education poor children will be left out if they are not helped at the right time.

3. Free Meals at 12.00 noon on every 1st ,2nd and 3rd Saturday

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The free meal plan is indeed a big help. Free meal is given every 1st, 2nd and 3rd Saturdays of each month.

4. Job oriented Awareness Programs

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Poondi Madha Basilica is grabbing every opportunity either to inform the students of the jobs available in institutions and companies or conduct programmes that facilitate them to approach job offering institutions.

5. Health Awareness Programs

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People have to travel at least 3 kms to have the basic health care facility. Running of health awareness and health care programmes therefore becomes a necessity under such conditions. We conduct such programmes in collaboration with public health departments and private institutions.

6. Environmental Awareness Programs

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We do conduct small programmes of awareness on environment protection and promotion, which will be of great benefit to the people who are living in the surroundings

7. Suyamvaram - 2015

Suyamvaram - 2015 was conducted on 15th Aug 2015, at Poondimadha Basilica from 9:00 A.M to 4:00 P.M. Both registered and non-registered users participated in this event. More than 100 Brides and Bridegrooms participated to seek their life partner.The Suyamvaram programme is being conducted every year in Poondimadha Basilica

Spiritual Activities



Facilities will be offered for those wanting to make individual or group retreats.For Your spiritual renewal you may come alone or in group for ONE DAY RECOLLECTION or 3 DAYS RETREAT. You will indeed be refreshed spiritually! To get RECONCILED with GOD and people priests are available round the clock for hearing CONFESSION.

Special Spiritual Features

On 1st Saturday’s

1. 9.30 A.M Novena Mass for the Sick. The Sick will be blessed with the oil at the end of the Mass.
2. 11.15 A.M Mass in Tamil for the Devotees.
3. 5:15 P.M Car procession followed by Novena Mass.
4. 9.00 P.M to 12:00 P.M Night Vigil Prayer Service followed by Mass.

On 2nd , 3rd and 4th Saturday’s

1. 9.30 A.M Mass in Tamil for the Children. The Children will be blessed at the end of the Mass.
2. 11.15 A.M Novena Mass in Tamil is offered for the intentions of the members of the Basilica.