European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SIDDHA LITERATURE REPOSITORIES IN AND OUTSIDE TAMILNADU

R. Manickavasagam*

ABSTRACT

Siddha system is one of the oldest traditional system in India.It is a medicinal heritage of Tamils and it is not only familiar in South India, also in Srilanka,Malayasia,Singapore etc, where Tamil people living throughout the world.Siddha system widely brought up by Siddhars who contributed to develop the Siddha system in ancient days.In early stages, Siddha knowledge was in Oral tradition and it was passed through the generations by Guru – Seedan (Teacher – Student) method.Later Siddha knowledges were written in Palm leaf manuscripts in ancient tamil script.These Manuscript were kept carefully by renowned Siddha vaidyars and passed through the family tradition.After Development of paper Printing technology in 18th Century,maximum no.of Siddha Manuscripts were published.That was the important period for Siddha system when the available palm manuscripts were published into books.Now we are in digital Era,some of these Siddha literatures are available as a digital version.Eventhough these literatures are printed as books,some of important books are not republished and are not available.This article mentioned about the Siddha Literature Repositories in and outside Tamilnadu where the old rare published books are kept as their collections.

Keywords: Siddha Archives, Siddha Literatures, Ancient Texts, Siddha medicines.