Researchers stumble upon 350-yr-old rare palm manuscripts on Siddha herbs

Siddha researchers who stumbled upon a rare collection of 350-year-old palm leaf manuscripts on Siddha herbs have brought out its printed version – Agathiyar Gunavagadam – to be used as text and reference by the Siddha students.

The palm leaf manuscripts were in the possession of a family of Siddha physician in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore for several years. After it was learnt about the manuscripts, the family was requested to offer them for the cause of humanity.

“We had to initially verify the text on the palm leaf manuscripts which were in the form of verse. After consulting Tamil scholars and experts its genuineness was ascertained and we decided to bring them to limelight,” says Professor Dr R Meenakumari, director of the National Institute of Siddha (NIS), Tambaram Sanatorium, here, who has worked tirelessly to bring out this book through NIS.

The manuscripts were numbered and digitalised and the text was meticulously transcribed. Thirunarayanan of the Centre for Traditional Medicine and Research (CTMR), Chennai, and his team took up the laborious task of working on the text format.

CTMR, an NGO, functions in the traditional healthcare space and runs two free Ayush health centers and two mobile clinics catering to fishermen and other marginalised communities. “The Agathiyar Gunavagadam was released by Union Minister for Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal during the inauguration of OPD for NIS recently,” Meenakumari told PTI.

She said, the Siddha legend late Dr T Thirunarayanan had obtained this palm leaf manuscript as part of the CTMR operations from Ramesh, son of Vaelayudam and the grandson of Vaidyar Venugopala Pillai, who practised Siddha medicine in Cuddalore district. Ramesh lives in Muthukrishnapuram, Vellore. This 350-year-old unpublished book stands out because it specifically describes the characteristics of herbs that grow in plain regions and hilly areas and it has been brought out as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative of the Central Government.