Siddha system of medicine

 

Siddha system of medicine is practiced in some parts of South India especially in the state of Tamilnadu. It has close affinity to Ayurveda yet it maintains a distinctive identity of its own. This system has come to be closely identified with Tamil civilization.  

 

The term ‘Siddha’ has come from ‘Siddhi’- which means achievement.  

 

Siddhars were the men who achieved supreme knowledge in the filed of medicine, yoga or tapa (meditation) (Narayanaswamy, 1975).

 

It is a well-known fact that before the advent of the Aryans in India a well-developed civilization flourished in South India especially on the banks of rivers Cauvery, Vaigai, Tamiraparani etc. The system of medicine in vogue in this civilization seems to be the precursor of the present day Siddha system of medicine. During the passage of time it interacted with the other streams of medicines complementing and enriching them and in turn getting enriched. 

 

The materia medica of Siddha system of medicine depends to large extent on drugs of metal and mineral origin in contrast to Ayurveda of earlier period, which was mainly dependent upon drugs of vegetable origin.

 

According to the tradition eighteen Siddhars were supposed to have contributed to the development of Siddha medicine, yoga and philosophy. However, literature generated by them is not available in entirety. In accordance with the well-known self-effacing nature of ancient Indian Acharyas (preceptors) authorship of many literary work of great merit remains to be determined. There was also a tradition of ascribing the authorship of one's work to his teacher, patron even to a great scholar of the time. This has made it extremely difficult to clearly identify the real author of many classics.