Vaidyar K P Arjunan, president of the Sangam and a member of the National Institute of Siddha, speaking to Express, said this was the first time an effort was being made in the country to impart siddha-medicine knowledge and practical experience at the higher level, to young siddha-vaidyars.

Out of 4,448 diseases classified and documented in the siddha literature, the world has witnessed only around 2,601 so far, said Arjunan. “This is where the use of higher level medicines come in,” he said.

The meet will have around 30 experts and senior siddha-vaidyars from various parts of the country to talk and demonstrate the preparation of higher-level medicines, the purpose of which is to ensure that vaidyars can preserve them for posterity, Arjunan said.

The technique of preparing higher-level medicines has never been discussed in public and “we want to dedicate this treasure of knowledge and the ancient wisdom for the betterment of the community,” Arjunan further said.

Arjunan explained that young siddha-vaidyars dispense lower level of medicines on a routine basis with each containing up to 20 herbs in the form of ‘kashayam’ (shelf life-24 hours), ‘chornam’(shelf life-three months) and ‘lehyam’(shelf life-six months).

While most siddha-vaidyars in the country dispense lower level siddha-medicines, they are not exposed to higher-level medicines, which are prepared and preserved in the form of ‘kattu’, ‘kalangal’, ‘muppu’ and ‘guru’.

Each of these categories  comprise over 2,000 herbs in various forms.

While ‘kattu’ is a collection of herbs in solid form, ‘kalangu’ is in liquid form (like wax), ‘muppu’ and ‘guru’ are in powdered form.

Around 500 practitioners from the southern States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry are expected to take part in the meet.

Traditional vaidyars belonging to adivasi communities from the hill-regions of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have also been invited to share their experiences in the meet.

The proceedings will be video documented and handed over to the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India for their records and for further promotional activities, Arjunan said.

Dr R S Ramaswamy, director of Central Council for Research in Siddha, under the Department of Ayush in Chennai and his colleague Dr R Kumaravel, president of Scientific Advisory Board will chair the sessions.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by V. NarayanaMurthi / June 26th, 2015