It's got to be Iloilo

By Tony Mariadass

tonym@mmail.com.my

Pictures courtesy of Iloilo Provincial Tourism Office

Mention Iloilo and the chances are response will be – what, where and who?

Indeed the name itself is odd.

Iloilo Province is located in the southern and north eastern portion of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region in Philippines.

It takes its name from Irong-Irong, the old name of the city of Iloilo, a tongue of land that sticks out like a nose on the south of Iloilo River. Irong is nose in the local dialect.

I first heard of Iloilo in 1991 when the Malay Mail football team was invited to compete the inaugural President’s Cup tournament. It was held in Iloilo and Bacolod City – another Visayas city – about one hour ferry ride from Iloilo.

Twenty-five years ago, when we went to Iloilo, we had to take a connecting flight from the domestic airport in Manila and had to endure checking-in for our flight with roosters (cock fighting was popular in Visayas) and were given boarding passes which were just a piece of paper taken from tray board behind the check-in counter.

Today, not only does Manila has three terminals which are all state-of-art, but the airport at Iloilo is also of international standard which opened on June 14, 2007 in the town of Cabatuan, replacing the old Iloilo Airport at the Mandurrio district.

The city has even beautified their murky and muddy river with a walkway, cyclists path and tress planted all along, giving the River Esplanade as the latest feature in the city.

What used to be dusty and narrow roads during the yesteryears, today there are highways and roads are wide with double or triple lanes. I still remember how our newspaper team was taken on a ride on jeepneys decorated with balloons and posters in the streets of Iloilo which was lined with people greeting us. We felt like celebrities. But that was a time when foreigner visitors or events involving foreigners were rare.

Today the old Iloilo Sports Stadium where we played with a seating gallery for about 1,000 fans, has now become major sports complex and venue in Western Visayas. The center is complete with a 10,000 capacity stadium, a rubberised track oval, a football field, an Olympic size swimming pool, two volleyball courts, two basketball courts, two open tennis courts, four badminton courts, an indoor gymnasium and dormitories.

It has indeed come a long way since then and the city is now vibrant but at the same time peaceful for a great holiday.

The city has indeed developed and an old friend from Iloilo, Pabilto Araneta, who is the city’s sports consultant with the Iloilo City Council said that it was the fastest developing into an urbanised city in the Visayas.

“It is smaller than Bacolod City, but the development here is far much faster and greater than in Bacolod. The development is in terms of amenities like roads, international airport, shopping complexes and hotels. The traffic is manageable although there are more cars on the roads these days,” said Araneta.

“We have not comprised history and old buildings in the name of development. We are a beautified city without being robbed of the authentic and rustic nature.”

The beauty of visiting Iloilo is that it is easily assessable from tip to toe of the province and from Iloilo the furthest Barangay (province) is Carles on the northern tip which is only 148 kilometres only and south is San Joaquin which is only 54 kilometres away. There is good transportation by inter-province busses or for nearer destination by jeepneys or vans.

The First District in the province distinguishes itself for the variety of its architectural wealth in the southern portion of the province comprise of seven municipalities (Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Tubunhgan, Igbaras, Miagao ans San Joaquin).

The centrepiece is the Baroque-Romanesque style of St Thomas of Villanova Parish, declared a national shrine in 1973 and included in the World Heritage list under UNESCO in 1993, the only one outside Luzon.

The Fifth District is known as the Resort destination, which is in the northern part of the province. This district comprise of 11 municipalities namely Barotac, Viejo, Ajuy, Conception, Sara, San Rafael, Lemery, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan and Carles.

The options vary from district to district and you will be spoilt for choices and never run out of options – thanks to its exceptional range of landscapes just short distances away, lots of leisure activities and the city is a repository of ancient and historical heritage where tradition and modernity blend together in perfect harmony, all for a unique and exciting adventure.

You name it, Ilolilo has to offer – be it beautiful powder–white beaches (Biyaheng Tampisaw in the town of Concepcion and Gigantes), waterfalls, falls, caves (towns of Tubungan, Igbaras, Miagao, Janiuay, Calinog and San Enrique), camping sites and trekking (Sitio Bucari in Leon, Tubungan, Miagao, Alimodian, Janiuay, Lambunao and Calinog), caves (city of Pasai and towns of Igbaras, Miagao, Leon, Janiuay and Gihantes island in Carles), island-hopping, fishing, scuba diving, trekking and old churches.

Iloilo is also a haven for food and festivals.

Seafood is a must when in Iloilo and their speciality Bangus (milk fish found in the Visayas only) cooked in no less than 15 ways and Talaba (oysters) is not to be missed. There are seafood restaurants just about everywhere and it is very affordable. Just to give an idea it only cost me RM90 for a six dishes (including two dishes of oysters – fresh and butter baked) with drinks for three persons. To top it all, we could not finish the food and packed the balance to give to the hotel staff.

Among the local delicacies include lapz batchoy (famous Ilonggo dish of noodle with pork parts) ancit molo (noodle dish), biscocho (baked bread with butter and sugar), pinasugbo (a naïve confection, barquillos (thin rolled crisp wafer) and baye -baye (a mixture of scraped young coconut flesh, sugar and pinipig (pounded rice grains),

Festivals are aplenty throughout the islands in Philippines and Iloilo is no different. The high sense of spirituality and inter-cultural values of the Ilonggos (people from Iloilo are known as this) paves the way for celebrations of festivals and fiestas as a form of thanksgiving for almost everything the divine providence has lavishly endowed them.

Aside from district fiestas which usually celebrate a patron saint’s day, there are festivals which are celebrated by the whole city and attracts tourists in numbers.

Among the city’s famous festivities are Dinagyang is dubbed as the “Festival of Excellent Folk choreography”. It is a colourful display of street dancing and story-telling. 

Then there is Paraw and Samba Regatta Festival where the sunny but cool and windy February climate paves the way for the annual celebration along Iloilo Strait. Colorful paraws (local sailboats) vie for trophies and cash prices for the different categories of the contest.

The contest gives tribute and honor to this water vehicle as an indispensible partner of local fishermen and as a common means of transportation between Iloilo and Guimaras and the other nearby coastal towns.

Side events also include, Porma Balas a sand sculpting competition, search for Ms. Paraw Regatta; beach-volleyball, beach-footbal, and the Samba Regatta - a music and dancing competition which has resemblance of the Mardi Gras in Rio de Janeiro.

Candelaria de Jaro is a feast celebration of its patroness, La Nuestra Señora de Candelaria or Our Lady of Candles. Although a religious holiday, the whole city and the country literally goes to Jaro to celebrate with the Jarenos this fabulous and famous celebration. Originally, the celebration is a thanksgiving of the Jarenos for the good harvest and fortune that the patroness has showered on them for the past year, but it has drawn local and foreign visitors alike because of its lavish luncheons and dinners, opulent religious procession, the grand ball and coronation of the Jaro Charity Queen.

Iloilo City Charter Day is another celebration which started only in 2010. It is a 40-day celebration beginning on July 16 and climaxing on August 25. It aims to create public awareness of the history and development of Iloilo as a City; arouse community sense of pride of place; and showcase the celebration as link to culture and heritage.

So if one is looking for a perfect vacation destination with a variety of choices, affordable and anytime of the year, it’s got to be Iloilo – their tagline in promoting Iloilo.

Getting to Iloilo:

Accessible from Manila by air (50 minutes flight) by Philippines or Cebu Air. It is also accessible by sea by ferry but is an overnight trip.

Mystical Muscat

By Tony Mariadass

 Explore the secrets of Oman

Muscat, Oman never ceases to captivate visitors with its historical architecture water sports and treasures. An unlikely place one wants to visit, but a visit will reveal how much Oman has to offer, which is unique and experiences which will leave an everlasting memory. It has a variety of experiences awaiting for in inquisitive traveler.

  Not many people would consider Oman a holiday destination but it will surprise with what it has to offer.

The Sultanate of Oman may not boast may 'firsts' and 'biggest' like its neighbours however its rich history, traditional charms and pristine coastlines is gaining popularity among travellers.

Some may not even know where thus Gulf nation is.

Nestled on the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arb Emirates in the northwest, Saudi Arabia in the west and Yemen in the southwest. It also has two enclaves – the Musandam Peninsula and Madha – which is separated by UAE.

Oman overlooks the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Gulf. It also controls the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the most important facilities in the region, linking the Sea of Oman with the Arabian Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz is a gateway to all ships coming from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.

Oman is a seaside nation with a coastline spanning 3,165 kilometres!

Little surprise that a wide variety of activities are sea related.

Oman had hosted 2^nd Asian Beach Games in 2010 held in Muscat and Almusannah.

A total of  12 sports – bodybuilding, beach handball, beach kabaddi, beach football, beach sepak takraw, beach volleylwoodball, jet ski, marathon swimming, sailing, tent pegging and triathlon – were held.

Among the experiences a traveler can experience include a wide variety of pristine beaches and islands, world class diving, snorkeling and other water sports.

Weekend picnics and barbecues are popular on the beaches and people driving their cars right up to the shore to park and chat is a pretty common sight.

While turtle and whale watching is an attraction, it is the dolphin watching is a main attraction, especially in Muscat and Musandam.

There are various dolphin watching tours, including travelling in boats which has see through glasses at the bottom of the boat.

I indeed had a whale of time watching these beautiful dolphin shoals.

My dolphin adventure began at the Oman Marina, which is home to some of the yachts of the rich and famous. Bobbing next to those huge vessels was this little speedboat that we were to board. It whisked us off, speeding into the open sea.

 Normally it takes between 20 to 30 minutes to spot the dolphins, but there are times when visitors have returned from the trip not sighting a single dolphin. It is the first thing operators warn the visitors stating that there is no guarantee to see the dolphins.

I was lucky that I saw hundreds of dolphin but not before anxious moments that I may return disappointed. It took about 40 minutes into the deep sea before we spotted several other boats who had already spotted the dolphins.

It was truly amazing to see the gentle creatures swimming freely and performing flips, for our entertainment, we presumed. Everywhere we looked we saw dolphins. And they didn’t seem to mind the boat or us, swimming around like we weren’t even there.

We feasted our eyes on the hyperactive dolphins for half an hour or so before the boatman took us back to the marina.

The round trip took about two hours and cost 15 Omani Rial (RM188.00).

If anything, dolphin watching alone is worth a trip to Oman!

Mountains constitute a large percentage of the environment of Oman which would mean that even a short drive to have dinner will involve driving through the scenic mountains. But the highways and roads in Oman are top-class and on a par with Germany’s Auto-Bahn. The only difference is that there is a speed limit and the roads twist and turn around the mountains.

Muscat is the capital of Oman and perhaps the country’s most cosmopolitan city.

Muscat is a wonderful blend of tradition and modernity, which is what makes it so unique. Today, it protected by a stone moat that replaced the walls that had shielded this important city. Walking through some of the older parts of Muscat, you see how the old historical buildings have been beautifully preserved and enhanced with modern additions.

Cultural sites including forts, ancient tombs and prehistoric sites are all there to explore.

One thing that stands out about the city is that you hardly see any building above five storeys.

   The Grand Mosque at Sultan Qaboos St is glorious piece of modern Islamic architecture was a gift to the nation from Sultan Qaboos to mark the 30th year of his reign. Quietly imposing from the outside, the main prayer hall is breathtakingly rich. The Persian carpet alone measures 70m by 60m wide, making it the second-largest hand-loomed Iranian carpet in the world; it took 600 women four years to weave. The mosque can accommodate 20,000 worshipers, including 750 women in a private musalla (prayer hall).

The Royal Opera House Muscat offers concerts and performances at a very affordable prices as compared elsewhere in the world.

The arrival of the Royal Opera House Muscat in 2011 was a high point in the              cultural life of the capital. Built by the same architects as the Grand Mosque, the         understated marble exterior belies the magnificent interior of inlaid wood and 

 Arabesque designs.

 A not to miss while in Muscat is the Mutrah Souq (market and bazzars).

Many people come to Mutrah Corniche just to visit the souq, which retains the chaotic interest of a traditional Arab market albeit housed under modern timber roofing. There are some good antique shops selling a mixture of Indian and Omani artefacts among the usual textile, hardware and gold shops. Bargaining is expected but the rewards are not great, as any discount will be small.

 

Other experiences in Oman include exploring and experiencing include wildlife tours in the Sultanate’s nature reserves and biodiversity spots.

Desert safaris and adventures is another for adventurous visitors not to be missed.

Trekking, rock climbing and caving adventures is also available besides horse and camel events to watch.

Indeed, one is not short of experiencing something to one’s taste in Oman.

It is an understatement to say that there are many secrets to be explored in Oman.

How to get to Oman:

Oman Air has a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Muscat and it takes about seven hours.

One can also fly to Muscat via Dubai or Abu Dhabi or even take a car ride which takes about four hours.

Mountain Getaway - Family-Run Wonderland

By Tony Mariadass

tmariadass@gmail.com

Cool, refreshing, breathtaking, scenic mountain getaway

The Campuestohan Highland Resort in Bacolod City in Philippines is a unique theme park and exotic, but very affordable.

Nestled with Mt. Mandalagan as a background it is a place for young and old to experience and revel in.

The resort is the brainchild of the visionary couple Ricardo Cano Tan and his wife Nenita Tan, who built this nature’s wonder from scratch, starting from conceptualising, designing and seeing their dream become a reality.

This glorious haven in Negros Occidental is situated right on the boundaries of two of the most progressive cities in the province - Bacolod City and Talisay City.

The property is on a 5-hectare land situated about 800-meters above sea, and from this vantage point, one can see the breathtaking view.

Looking towards the east, one can see below the sprawling cities of Bacolod, Talisay, Silay and Bago. In fact, one will also be able to see the port of the town of Pulupandan. On clear days, one can see the western side of the island of Panay and Guimaras, bounded by the calm sea bedecked by the beautiful blue sky and white clouds above it. To the west of the resort are the majestic mountains covered in lush vegetation and hundreds of thousands of century old trees that have remained untouched for several generations. To the south of the resort is the equally majestic Mount Canlandog.

 

Most of the time, the weather in the resort is downright cool and mist engulf the resort in minutes and disappear as fast too for a clear view.

It is indeed like walking in heaven in this resort.

The uniqueness of the resort is that it is a friendly family resort which can be used for retreats for groups, holiday stay or just a day trip. Activities are plenty and above all unique and thrilling.

Above all it is very affordable. The entrance fee for a day trip which includes the use of the swimming pool, children’s playgrounds, resort grounds and hanging bridge is about RM17, while rides cost between RM4 to a maximum of RM22.

Among the attractions include the biggest gorilla in the Philippines which roars every few minutes to give a real mountain atmosphere.

The resort also boasts of the first in the world cable hamster wheel which is 100m metres long. Other attractions include the four lane sky bicycle ride which is 100 metres long, the zip line which stretches for 340 metres and virtually travels through the resort, rope course, grand carousel, mini train ride and pony rides.

Another latest attraction which is in its final stage of readiness is the wave/wade pool with a stream running around it and a windmill.

Unlike other theme parks which have their accommodation in a separate buildings away from the park, all the accommodations here are in the activity areas itself.

For instance, one can stay inside the gorilla, windmill or beside the swimming pools.

From the resort entrance, one can immediately see the beautiful and imposing log cabin that is somewhat reminiscent of the picturesque structures that dot the countryside of the old west. The log cabin offer spacious rooms, complete with amenities.

The resort also offer a number of attractive, single-detached cottages, resembling cottages of The Hobbits in Lord of the Rings, which is called Bonita Huts at the resort. True to their name, which is Spanish word for pretty or beautiful, these huts really look appealing and oozing with charm that would definitely captivate visitors. Then there is the shoe-house accommodation.

If one is just visiting for the day, they go for any of the available day cottages, ranging from the big cottage which could accommodate twenty persons, small cottage good for twelve to fifteen persons and umbrella hut which that can take in ten persons. One can also opt for big canopy tents, which can accommodate ten persons, and small canopy tents which is good for six to eight persons.

While the resort can accommodate about 1,500 visitors in a day, it has accommodation for about 150 people in the various accommodations sites around the resort.

Prices for overnight accommodation range between RM300 to RM700 per day for three to six persons depending on which accommodation and is inclusive entrance fee and breakfast.

“This is a dream come true for me and my wife. We were only dreaming of a retirement home, but when we saw the property we wanted to share it with others,” said Tan a former Councillor in Bacolod City who will be running for the post again in the coming elections.

“What is fulfilling is that every part of this resort was designed by us,” said Tan who said has already spent US$2 million developing property.

“It is an ongoing process as I keep adding things as I come up with ideas.”

Both husband and wife without fail walk around the resort to personally welcome the guests and at the same time get their feedback.

“We continuously look for ideas to improve this place and what better way that getting feedbacks from the guests. We also want to ensure that the guests are satisfied and well looked after during their stay here,” said Tan who was the former president of Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) and also president of Philippine Football Federation (PFF) in the early 90s.

Tan also has his son Ralph to assist him in the management of the resort.

“This resort has a very personal touch from us and it is a family affair,” added the 67 year-old Tan.

Indeed it Tan has turned resort into a wonderland that can fill the hearts and minds of children and adult alike.

Reinventing the wheels of time by remembering the age of the dinosaurs right into the realm of superheroes and giants like the Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, Batman, Superman, Thor and the Green Lantern, it is all there in the ‘Heroes Hall’.

There is famous personages in the world like Elvis Presley and Michael Jordan besides King Kong, the giant gorilla.

There are two huge swimming pools and another wave and wading pool is to be ready soon for kids and adults also awaits those who wanted to take an invigorating dip amidst the glorious backdrop of imposing mountains.

A huge function hall, pavilion, and a gourmet restaurant is also part of the resort.

The food at the restaurant is something to savour, especially the local delicacies is a gourmet haven for food connoisseurs.
One of the resorts greatest assets is the owners themselves enjoy cooking and serving delicious food specialties to friends and associates.
This is why it is not surprising if the dishes served at resort are truly exceptional in taste and quality.
You can choose from among the many variety of dishes that the resort restaurant offers, from the truly flavorsome "Fried Cansi" to the mouthwatering and extremely popular Ilonggo dish called KBL or "Kadyos-Baboy-Langka."

And to spoil one rotten at the resort, it even as a spa to relax after a day’s out experiencing the resort’s activities.

Getting to the resort from the Bacolod City International airport itself is an experience as one passes through villages and narrow roads as one makes the gradual ascend with directions to the resort all along the way.

It will take about half an hour from airport or up to 45 minutes from the city centre and unlike in Manila – it is minus the traffic jam. Life is much slower moving here unlike the hustle and bustle in Manila.

As one comes nearer the resort, the air gets cooler. Agriculture thrives in this side of Talisay City, with various crops being cultivated on both sides of the road. Plenty of gamecock farms can also be seen on either side of the road since it is widely believed that game fowls breed well in cooler surroundings.

At the resort, security is at its best with the resort’s own security working round the clock assisted by the local security force fully armed.

The resort also has its own ambulance on stand-by in case of emergencies.

Every detail has been taken care of at the resort so that the guest can have a peace of mind and just the truly unique and enchanting experience that they will surely cherish all their lives.

While any time is a good time to visit the resort, maybe planning a trip during the third week of October will “killing two birds with one stone’ as the Masskara Festival is celebrated then.

Masskara is the most colourful festival in Philippines and has now become a major national attraction and has gained popularity both at home and aboard.

The Festival first began in 1980 during a period of crisis. The province relied on sugar cane as its primary agricultural crop and the price of sugar was as an all-time low. In the midst of these tragic events, Bacolodnons decided to hold a festival of smiles, because the city at that time was also known as the City of Smiles.

A prominent feature of the festival is the feature mask worn by participants. These are always adorned with smiling faces. Masskara thus a multitude of smiling faces. The smiling face which is the primary symbol of the Festival represent the positive outlook in life that despite all the distress and difficulties.

Other areas of interest to visit while in Bacolod include the ‘The Ruins’ in Talisay City which is one of the 12 most famous ruins in the world, the Mambukal Resort in Marcia, the San Sebastian Cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace in Bacolod City.

The Campuestohan Highland Resort is certainly a must place to visit for a holiday if one wants to experience something different and exhilarating.

Key Facts:

Capital: Bacolod City

Population: 3.1 million

Land Area: 7,936.07 sq. km (or 792,607 hectares)

Boundaries:

North – Visayan Sea; East – Negros Occidental; South – Sulu Sea; West – Gulmaras Strait.

Getting to Bacolod City from Kuala Lumpur:

Airlines: (to Manila) Malaysia Airlines and Cebu Air (3 hour 15 minutes)

Connecting from Terminal 2 or 3 in Manila by Cebu Air or Philippines Airlines to Bacolod City (1 hour 15 minutes).

Flying Cebu Air means connecting flight to Bacolod from same terminal – Terminal 3.

Inquiries & Bookings

For your reservations, please contact the following numbers:
Landline:+63 (034) 702-0964; +62 (034) 433-3335
Mobile: +63915-211-1406; +63917-300-5007; +63925-600-8088
Office Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Office Address: Bacolod TP Truckers, Gonzaga St., Bacolod City
Resort Address: Sitio Campuestohan Brgy. Cabatangan/ alternate route via brgy. Granada and Alangilan Talisay City 6100 Philippines
Important:
* Reservations must be made at least 3 days ahead if resort visit will fall on a weekend, and at least 1 day before if coming on a weekday.
* In cases of delay or cancellation, kindly inform our office at least 3 hours before set time.

Amazing gift of Father James

Malaysia loss is Indonesia’s gain.

Reverend Father Irudayam Singarayar Sebastian James was in Malaysia in the early 60s for a year and was attached with St Francis Xavier Church in Petaling Jaya and was serving the Indian community of St Joseph, Sentul, Fatima Church, Brickfields and Assumption Church, Petaling Jaya.

Father James had applied for a visa to continue working in Malaysia, but he was denied and he returned to India.

He then went to continue with his studies in theology in Java. He was there for two years and was getting bored until he met a man from Medan and suggested that he go to Medan for a holiday where there were many Indian Catholics.

He did that in 1968 and that was the beginning for his love for Medan where he has become an icon not only to the Catholic community but the people of Medan for putting the city onto the world map with the building of the Our Lady of Good Health Church, Medan (Graha Marai Annai Velangkanni) also known as Our Lady of Vailankanni (and in Tamil - Ārōkkiya mātā). This saint knows its origin with an apparition in the 17th century in Velankanni Town, Tamil Nadu, India. Graha in Sanskrit means home, sanctuary or shrine.

The temple is an imposing building, of two storeys and a small tower of seven storeys in Indonesian style that attracts attention from the main road (it is situated in the small road Jl. Sakura III besides Jl. Simatupang).

Such is the impression on visiting this beautiful Marian Shrine, christened as Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni.

It has become important pilgrimage site in Asia for all walk of life, culture, religion and race and iconic symbol for Medan which is also a tourist attraction.

The magnificent shrine is the first in Indonesia and the second in the world as pilgrimage centre besides the original at Vailankanni in India.

The architecture of this shrine is totally different from the norm. Several religious symbols adorn the building, but these are in harmony with the structure of the shrine and form a beautiful unity. Aesthetic and religious values blend in to express the loftiness and the great mystery of the divine majesty.

Father James, an Indian Jesuit missionary in Indonesia, for the past 45 years became an Indonesia in 1989 and was asked to take an Indonesian name and thus became James Bharataputra Sebastian James.

“It was as though a dream that had come true and a miracle that had taken place, because with only a strong faith and conviction in the Providence of God as my initial capital, that I ventured into such a monumental work that was eventually to cost more than four billion Rupiah (equivalent to US$ 500,000) at a time when the Indonesian national economy was very unstable,” said Father James when met in Medan recently.

“Certainly it seems illogical and uncommon for many, but not for a man of faith. Moreover, with no building committee for fund raising, no qualified designer and architect, no professional contractor and no real artist to do the paintings and relief works, except a highly qualified Catholic engineer, Johannes Tarigan, who offered his services free to work out the structure and supervise the construction of the building, it seems madness to venture into such a huge project.

“But as it turned out, the fact that God was behind all these efforts to create such a beautiful church and community hall is plain for us to see.

“The whole concept and format of the shrine were inspired by God in my constant prayer of contemplation on the Mystery of the Incarnation, as given in the spiritual exercises, a book of jottings of spiritual experiences of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order and a great spiritual Master who led the seekers of God into God-experience through retreat. Following exactly the points of that contemplation as suggested by St. Ignatius, I deigned the whole building as the construction went on.”

Father James came to Medan to serve at St Anthony’s Church in the 70s before he wanted to build the church.

During his work with the Indian community in the church he had purchased a land at Tanjung Selamat (Bay of Salvation) to relocate the Indian community from a slump area.

But they did want to leave the original area.

Father James then wanted to build a church and approached the Archbishop A. G. Pilus Datubara who gave his blessings.

He used the land he had purchased earlier as the site for his project.

“Having been relieved of all the parish commitments, I had concentrated only on this project during the four years of the shrine construction ( from September 2001 to September 2005), through planning, playing the roles of an architect by designing of a contractor by employing ordinary workers on daily wages and supervising the construction day in and day out. But God has been inspiring me all the time, providing the funds all the means needed in so many mysterious ways.

“I am a dreamer by nature and I dream dreams. I dreamt of the shrine to be an evangelizing edifice to tell the story of salvation history of mankind, based on the bible and the teachings of the church. Through its format, symbolisms, ornaments sculpture and paintings. Attempting on enculturation I chose Indo-Mogul architectural combination by which to explain that this shrine is the place where heaven and earth meet and a place where the divine and the human embrace each other and it is here where God wants to meet His People irrespective of race, creed, and language.

“All the credit and glory goes to God because he had the plan to be realised and used mostly amateur hands to achieve this marvel. At times God’s inspirations came to me during my dreams and at times I wake up from my dream and jotted down some of the details of my dream lest I forget them. I do not know how to describe this extraordinary spiritual experience by which I felt that it was God who had been dictating his plan in detail as I was proceeding with the construction. Mary Annai Velangkanni seemed to look after my health all the time, although I had had some health problems before I started on this job. “Twice I had serious motor cycle accidents and came out unscathed thanks to the protection of Mary. At no time did I feel worried about funds for the work because the Lord was providing my weekly needs through the generosity of hundreds and hundreds of Marian devotees who had been sending donations through my bank, mostly in anonymity. Hardly, ever did I feel tired or exhausted in my work at an age of 68 then,” said Father James who is 73 now.

Father James said the main aim in putting up this Marian shrine here in Tanjung Selamat Medan is not because some extraordinary and miraculous thing had happened or some apparitions of Mary had occurred to warrant a shrine here.

“But on the contrary. I wanted miracles to happen here in Medan as was at Velangkanni in India for more than three centuries drawing people from all walks of life and status. As every shrine of pilgrimages is a place of welcome and encounter of God with His People and on the same token people with people who come together as children of God respecting one another and loving one another as brothers and sisters of the same Father in Heaven, irrespective of one’s race, tribe, tongue or belief.”

And it did happen. The first was the arrival of the statue of life-size Our Lady which was Father James ordered from India but was delayed. But arrived two hours before official laying of foundation stone for the shrine on Sept 8, 2001, the birthday of Our Lady.

The second a year later when Father James rented room in town was gutted by fire brining it down to ashes.

But when he was rampaging through the room, he found a packet with 10 million rupiah (donations for the building) two bibles and a hymn book intact untouched by the fire and safe in its entirety

The third happened on the same day a year after the official opening of the church (Oct 1, 2005 – by then acting Governor Dr Rudolf Pardede of North Sumatra Province) when mysterious waster was coming out of the feet of Our Lady. A vision told Father James to dig under the feet and a fountain of water gushed out. It is pure clean water which is drinkable and the fountain today is the source holy water from the shrine.

Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni is certainly a dual phenomenon, admired by everyone who has visited this Marian Shrine. It is like a mind of grace and blessings comparable to a spiritual treasure that needs to be hunted and above all, it is a mystery to be explored.

Apart from the unique blend of Indo-Mogul architecture, apart from the importance of its religious symbols and its biblical content, and apart from its awesome majestic look, Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni is also ‘a beauty that will be a joy forever’ with the harmony of its rainbow colours.

Through its seven rainbow colours, Graha Maria proclaims the message of the Gospel.

As turned out, it is only at the end of 2011, almost seven years after the original painting of this colourful Graha Maria discovered a profound meaning of the colours that are used on the building by Father James.

Initially the main purpose of painting Graha Maria in multi colours was to attract the attention of the passers-by. But amazingly enough it seems that it is God, the real architect of Graham Maria who seemed to have chosen the seven colours of the rainbow which is a sign of hope and had so arranged them in an ascending order as to reveal his grand plan of salvation of the human race. Everyone who comes to visit this Marian shrine, irrespective of race, language, religion, and socio-economic status will certainly discover the significance of its colours.

The amazing thing about the colours of Graha Maria is that it took seven years to discover their significance intended by God, the original architect who seems to have arranged them in an ascending order -black-grey-white-red-green-blue and yellow.

The interior of the church that is fully studded with relief, paintings and ornaments is a feast for the eyes. The altar with its background is another unique feature.

The feast of Graha Marai Annai Velangkanni is celebrated starting on Thursday and culminating on Oct 3.

While the feast will be an event not to be missed, but a visit to this stunning church is a must when visiting Medan.