Location:

Uvari is a coastal village with about 3,000 households and a population of 10,000 in the Tirunelveli district in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is about 50km from Tuticorin, 75km from Tirunelveli and 45km from Kanyakumari.

Economy:

Uvari is a separate Panchayat village that is modern in nature and incorporates in it many beautiful land scapes. The natives here are engaged in fishing as their major occupation. These people contribute to the economy of the village. Uvari has four schools run by the parish priests, a hospital run by the nuns, a post office and a bank.

History:

In ancient Tamil history the people here were named Paravas, who were the destined people belonging to the land of Neithal(ocean). Uvari has another division in it called as Kezha Uvari. This place has also got many historic monuments including the Shiva temple, Sri Suyambulinguswamy Thirukovil. Today very few remnants of the old arches carved out of rocks and an abondoned temple stands as a proof for the ancient history near the temple that is newly being constructed.  

Religion:

In 1950's the Portuguese and the Spanish missionaries from Goa had a srong influence on the people in Uvari. Many of the people here got converted to christianity with the priests there as their God fathers. These priests gave the surname as Fernandes to the natives here.

Statue of Saint Anthony of Padua:

About 450 years ago Portuguese sailors who had visited the place were badly affected by cholera. To avert the danger of this disease the sailors carved the statue of Saint Anthony and began worshiping him. The sailors were all redeemed from cholera after this. As a token of thanksgiving the sailors set up the statue  in a small hut in this place and worshiped the lord. Later the people here set up a church for St. Anthony with the original statue in 1940. The statue is designed with St.Anthony holding Infant Jesus in his hand. It is believed that St.Anthony here has performed many miracles to the people. This church has become a famous landmark that is visited by many pilgrims around the area.

Kappal Matha Church:

The Kappal Matha church (our Lady of health) is in the form of a ship carrying an airplane. The church built in 1974 is the  replaced version of St.Mary Church that was destroyed due to sea erosion. This place has three shrines and many grottos. This church also stands a pilgrimage area worth visited by many people every day.