SIDDHA

Origin

The Siddha System of Medicine (Traditional Tamil System of medicine), which has been prevalent in the ancient Tamil land, is the foremost of all other medical systems in the world.

Its origin goes back to B.C 10,000 to B.C 4,000. As per the textual and archaeological evidence which indicate the remote antiquity of the Dravidian civilization of the erstwhile submerged land Kumarikandam, that is the Lemuria continent situated in the Indian ocean, The uniqueness of Siddha System is evident by its continuous service to the humanity for more than 5000 years in combating diseases and also in maintaining its physical, mental and moral health while many of its contemporaries had become extinct long ago.

The system is said to have emerged in antiquity, from the highly evolved consciousness of the Siddhars. The clarified intellect and heightened intuition of the Siddhars, resulting from their yogic powers, enabled them to explore the world around them and exploit its natural resources for the sake of humanity. Their findings on the characteristics of plants, metals, minerals and animal products and their knowledge of the properties of drugs, it's purification, processing, fixing dosage, toxicity, antidote and clinical application, were preserved in the form of verses for the use of the posterity.

Principles

According to the Siddha system, the individual is a microcosm of the universe. The human body consists of the five primordial elements-earth, water, fire, air and space, the three humours-vatha, pitta and Kapha and seven physical constituents.

Medicine

Drugs can be classified into three groups

1. Thaavaram (herbal product)

2. Thaathu (inorganic substances) and

3. Jangamam (animal products)

Treatment

Treatment consists of three distinct categories:

1. Deva Maruthuvam, (divine method);

2. Maanida Maruthuvam (rational method); and

3. Asura Maruthuvam (surgical method).

In the divine method, medicines like parpam, chenduram, guru, kuligai prepared from mercury, sulphur and pashanams are used.

In the rational method, medicines prepared from herbs like churanam, kudineer, vadagam are used.

In the surgical method, incision, excision, heat application, bloodletting, leech application etc. are practised.

There is also a branch of the traditional science that deals with traumatology and accidental injuries called Varma. This is based on the notion of more than 100 vital points that are junctions of bones, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves called Varma points. Pranic energy is found concentrated in these points which, upon manipulation, produce the curative effect.