Our Lady of Dolours Basilica, church in Kerala, India

Our Lady of Dolours Basilica, also called Puthenpally, is a Syro-Malabar Catholic church in Thrissur, Kerala, built in Indo-Gothic style with a floor area of 25,000 square feet. Its west-facing façade has two 146-foot bell towers flanking five arched entrances, and a 260-foot Bible Tower stands at the rear. The interior, 390 feet long, has 32 black pillars, eleven altars, and a 100-foot main altar.

In 1874 the Chaldean Catholic bishop Elias Mellus arrived in India and was accepted as bishop by a large part of the local Syro-Malabar community, which was based at this church and later formed the Chaldean Syrian Church. The Syro-Malabar Catholics responded by building a new church from 1929, designed by Ambrose Gounder with experts from Tamil Nadu completing the towers. The original church became the Mart Mariam Big Church, and the new one was called Puthanpally.

The name Puthenpally, or New Church, distinguishes it from the older Mart Mariam Big Church nearby, which became the Chaldean Syrian cathedral after the 1874 split. The Bible Tower, blessed in 2004, displays biblical scenes in wood carving, stained glass, metalwork, oil painting, terracotta and murals, including works by nationally recognised artists.

The basilica is open most days from early morning to evening with regular Mass times. Visitors should dress modestly, speak softly, and check the schedule ahead of special festivals when additional services are offered.

The Bible Tower was blessed on 7 January 2004 by Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud and opened for public use on 3 December 2006. Inside, wood carvings, stained glass, terracotta sculptures and murals illustrate the Old and New Testaments and the mission of Saint Thomas the Apostle.