[1][2][3] It is famous for festivities held during the St. Mary's Feast in the month of September each year, attracting devotees from the entire metropolitan area of Bangalore.

St. Mary's Basilica had a humble beginning as a thatched hut in the 17th century, built by Tamil Christian migrants from Gingee.

The rice grown in the village had a distinct white colour, and hence the settlement came to known as Bili Akki Palli or colloquiallyly could have been named after John Blakiston (1785-1867), who designed the layout of the Bangalore Cantonment.

He went around Somanahalli, Kamanahalli, Begur, Gunjam, Palahalli, Doranahalli, Garenahalli, Shettyhalli, and beyond, visiting the Catholic families there and ministering to their spiritual needs.

Dubois built a chapel with a thatched roof in 1803 at Bili Akki Palli, or colloquially Blackpally and offered Mass there.

Fr Andreas, a priest from Pondicherry of Indian origin, succeeded Dubois and expanded the church building in the shape of a cross.

It was consecrated on 8 September 1882 by Bishop Jean-Yves-Marie Coadou, the Vicar Apostolic of Mysore, in the presence of 35 priests and 4,000 Catholics of Bangalore.

An annual nine-day novena is held between 30 August and 7 September, with Mass being offered in English, Kannada, and Tamil.

Eucharistic celebrations are held on the day of the feast and a decorated chariot with the image of Mother Mary is drawn by devotees along the various streets of Bangalore.