• Lyrics - Fr. Jospeh J. Palackal CMI
• Lead Singer - Fr. Jospeh J. Palackal CMI
• Child soloist - : Sneha P. J.
• Female soloist -Shalini Rosa Kurian Palackal
• Music Arrangement - John P Varkey
• Recording & Sound Mixing - Amal Antony, at Amal's Studio, Thalore, Thrissur
• Language - English
• Youtube link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFD6ewXutOU

We are excited to post this hym to the Mother of Good Health (Annai Velankanni), in Tamil Nadu, in South India,in preparation for the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The National Shrine and Basilica of Immaculate Conception at Washington, D. C. houses a chapel for the Annai Velankanni, the Mother of Good Health at Velankanni in the Tamil Nadu state in South India. It came about in1997 through the efforts of the Indian American Catholic Association. The Association wanted to have an anthem to Annai Velankanni for the occasion. The opening line of the text and melody of the refrain happened to me (literally) during the Egypt-air flight from Cairo to New York in the summer of 1996. Immediately, I wrote it on a napkin. During the rest of the flight, the first stanza happened. The text of this stanza alludes to the famous Sanskrit prayer: Asathoma Sathgamaya … . from the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (I.iii.28). The opening line, however, deviates from the original with the word “back.” “From darkness lead us BACK to light.” The reference here is to the preternatural state of grace before the fall of (Adam and Eve) humankind. The prayer here is to bring us back to that state of grace with the intercession of Annai Velankanni.

The song was premiered on 16 August 1997 at the Velankanni chapel at the Basilica. The commercial recording for the CD took place at Amal Studio at Thalore, Thrissur, in the summer of 2013, on the occasion of the celebration of the English version of the Syro Malabar Qurbana as part of the pilgrimage to Annai Velankanni. The CD is available through the website of the Christian Musicological Society of India www.thecmsindia.org

Joseph J. Palackal, CMI
New York
3 Sept 2021

Keywords - Marian Hymn, Marian Song, Mathru Sthuthi, Joseph Palackal, Shalini Rosa Kurian, John P Varkey , Amal Antony, AmelAntony, Sneha P J, Salu Treesa, ChrisRosAnto Anugraha Raphy, Austin James, Marian Song, Our LadyOf Health Tamil Christian Song Velankanny Church, Marian Hymn English, Vailanlankanny, Arogyamatha Stmar , Vailankanny Feast, Other ofGood Health, Velankanny Church, Velankanny Shrine, Annai Vailankanny, AnnaiVailankanny