August 1, 2024

Traditionally this place is known as Hariharada Arogya Mathe – Our Lady of Health Harihar. Of course it is a shrine, a holy place and now a Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Health, Harihar. About 250 years ago, Harihar was a small town. According to the tradition, a Brahmin with his wife and two little children lived there in an utter poverty. Due to acute poverty, his wife and children were ailing from incurable tuberculosis. Yet this poor Brahmin courageously put up with the situation.

As usual, one day early in the morning, in order to fulfill his morning duties, he got into the river Tungabhadra to have the holy dip. There, he accidently slipped, and then as he lost control of himself, he was swept along with the currents. To his great surprise, he was caught in a swirl. All that he could do was to struggle to come out of it, but to no avail. After a series of wailings and cries, he was terribly tired and thinking that his end was near and he lost the hope for life. Then all of a sudden, he saw a small wooden piece floating in the swelling river and caught hold of it. Indeed, it was the statue of Our Lady - Mother Mary.

As he held the statue, a powerful experience engulfed him and an indescribable force made him come out of the whirl he was struggling in. To his surprise again, he was thrown out on to the shore! He had been miraculously saved from being swept away by the powerful currents. But he was holding in his hand an unusual statue which didn't interest him much as he knew nothing of the statue and nor he wanted to leave it behind. So, he brought it home, thinking how an unseen power and the statue he was holding saved his life from the jaws of death.

On reaching home, he narrated the whole story to his wife and children and how he was saved from the swirl. But they too did not believe and make much of it either. Instead, the children, thinking that the statue was a doll, they played with it. The things that followed did not go well for the children. The children had swelling all over their bodies and they went through hell that night. The parents were terrified. It was a nightmare for them. But the situation further deteriorated, with no immediate relief for the children. At the close of the day he experienced, one of his eyes losing sight and becoming partially blind.

After experiencing a very bad day and not knowing the reason, with a heavy heart, he fell asleep. There in the sleep Mother Mary in the form of Queen of Heaven appeared to him in a dream, saying, "It was I in the form Mary, Queen of Heaven in a vision to the Brahmin of a statue that saved you from the swirl". Then he realized that it was for dishonouring to the statue that he was facing these hardships. He would be greatly blessed if he honoured the venerable statue, Mary seemed to have whispered to him, further, "Honour me at Harihar, and you will be graciously blessed.

When he got up in the morning he found indescribable joy in the house. Having realized the mistake, he prayed for forgiveness and her blessings. He received double favours from the mother- that the boils over the bodies of his children disappeared and he got the sight back again. For the wonders and the favours received, he wanted to keep the miraculous statue with himself. So, he placed it in niche like hole of a tree. Then he started announcing the good tidings the miraculous statue had worked for his family. People started visiting the tree with curiosity. Those who came for the darshan of this statue began to call it Satyamma, meaning to say "Mother of Truth". Now her name and fame spread all around Harihar and beyond.

At this the news about Satyamma reached some Christians of Chitradurga. Quite interested to know about Satyamma, people came with great fervour to Harihar in groups. Meanwhile, a Christian soldier from Chitradurga who got interested wanted to have a darshan of Satyamma. While closely watching the statue, he found that it was none other than the statue of Mother Mary. He waited for the night. Then at night, he covered the statue with a cloth and took it to Chitradurga.

Now he had hardly travelled about 12 kms by his horse near Anagodu, where he felt sleepy. After having the meal there, he took some rest for a while. Thereafter he wanted to doubly confirm that the statue was in safe custody with him, but to his great shock, he found the statue missing, but only the cloth that was used for covering it. He was taken aback! He groped for the statue here and there, but to no avail. Still, he continued searching for the statue, but he did not find it. Feeling tired and having resigned to its loss, in a reflective mood went into sleep. There in his sleep Mary appeared to him saying, "Harihar is my dwelling place. Honour me at Harihar, I will bless you". Meanwhile, according to the tradition, the statue was miraculously spotted at the place in the tree where it was earlier. Instantly, he knelt down and begged for pardon from the Mother.

Now following the message of the Mother, the soldier rushed to Chitradurga to inform the British Collector of all that had happened. Not having enough courage to face the British officer, he approached his cook to whom he narrated the dream and also how people were attracted to Satyamma at Harihar. He also got an opportunity to explain to the Collector of how he wanted to establish the statue at Chitradurga, and so on. Thereafter he requested the Collector to somehow get it for him from Harihar. Having listened to him patiently, the Collector himself got interested in knowing about Satyamma of Harihar and rushed to the place there. Having studied the statue closely at the house of the Brahmin, the Collector came to the conclusion that it was none other than the statue of Mother Mary. Then he made him understand that it was a statue worthy of veneration only for the Christians and thus it was offered to the Christians to be venerated at Harihar.

With great joy and filled with gratitude, the Brahmin narrated to him vividly how the statue miraculously saved him from the jaws of death, and also his children from their sickness. He also pleaded that he would make it available for veneration for both Christians and non-Christians alike and further made a will that he would give his house and the patch of land he had for that purpose. Then he requested him to heed his plea. Moved by the story, the Collector allowed him to establish the statue in his premises. Even to this day, that place has been preserved where we find the grave of the Brahmin (that was his wish to be buried there) and a small Church known as the Darushana Degula. Even to this day, the tomb of the Brahmin remains as monumental evidence.

Since then, in memory of Our Lady and her Nativity, the feast of Our Lady of Health, Harihar is being celebrated on 8 September with great religious fervour. Thousands of people irrespective of caste, creed, language and religion visit the shrine. In the past, the decorated chariot with the original miraculous statue was taken in procession in the town but in course of time, the replica of old statue was used in place of original statue for the sake of safety.Reflecting its spiritual significance and the miracles attributed to the Holy Place it was raised to the title and rank of MINOR BASILICA on 15 January, 2020. Today this Basilica, a beacon of faith and hope, stands as a testament to the unity and diversity of our people, drawing thousands of pilgrims irrespective of caste, language, and religion. (Courtesy:“A Brief History of Harihar Shrine” by Most Rev Duming Dias)