Holy Rosary Basilica Karumathampatty

History

Karumathampatty is a tiny village located near Coimbatore in South India. This village owes its name to its Rajah Karumathan. The Shrine of Our Lady of Rosary in Karumathampatty was conferred as a minor basilica on 22nd July, 2019, this shrine dedicated to the Holy Rosary traces its origin to AD 1640. It was started as a Chapel for Mother Mary but the church suffered complete destruction in the year 1684 when Tanjure King Serfoji I as part of his campaign to annex territories ruled by weaker dispensation, raided Coimbatore region. Later the church was rebuilt in a larger scale owing to the intercession of Our Lady of Rosary.

This shrine was visited by Saint John de Britto, the Portuguese Jesuit missionary, who was known as ‘Arul Anandar’ in Tamil (The one with bountiful Grace literally). He often prayed in this Shrine and preached to the local population. He was later martyred by Sethupathi, the king of Ramnad.

When Tipu Sultan started his annexation of territories ruled by other Kings in South India, he went on a rampage – destroying churches, forcibly converting Christians and Hindus to Islam and slaughtering thousands of people who refused to bow down. In the year 1784, he brought down the edifice of the church in Karumathampatty, leaving only the entrance arch.

Later after Tipu Sultan was killed in the 4th Anglo-Mysore war in 1799, things returned to normalcy and the church was rebuilt over a period of time. Fr.Jean Antoine Dubois, a renowned Indologist at that time , started restructuring the Catholics in Mysore and surrounding regions. He established many churches and rebuilt this Shrine in 1803. He was affectionately called as ‘Dodda Swami’ by the local people. He eschewed his European living style and instead wore ‘Kaavi’ like a Hindu ascetic. He was instrumental in establishing agricultural communes in impoverished rural area.

The Catholics in Karumathampatty were fewer in numbers, but remained steadfast in their religion. A belfry was added to the shrine in the year 1840 and the year 1908 saw the construction of the main altar. Soon Karumathampatty saw the addition of various institutions in the Shrine.

Congregation of Presentation Sisters and a Seminary came to Karumathampatty Shrine.

Our Lady of Holy Rosary blesses those who throng this Shrine and Her blessings are bountiful – no matter what you seek – Marriage, Child, Employment, Prosperity in business, freedom from sickness and good health.

The feast of Our Lady of Holy Rosary is celebrated every year in the month of October first Sunday.

Contact:

Our Lady of Holy Rosary Basilica,
Karumathampatti, Coimbatore 641659
Phone : 0421-2332476