S/No.	Title	Tamil தமிழ்
1.	Varma Alavai Nool	வர்ம அளவை நூல்
2.	Fundamentals of Varma Medicine	வர்ம மருத்துவத்தின் அடிப்படைகள்
3.	Location of Varma Points	வர்ம புள்ளிகளின் இருப்பிடம்
4.	Varma Medicine (Special)	வர்ம மருத்துவம் (சிறப்பு)
5.	Varma Medicine (General)	வர்ம மருத்துவம் (பொது)
6.	Formulary of Varma Medicine	வர்ம மருந்து செய்முறைகள்
7.	Varma Odivu Murivu Maruthuvam (Thoguthi-1 Elumbu Murivugal)	வர்ம ஒடிவு முறிவு மருத்துவம் (எலும்பு முறிவு - தொகுதி-1)
8.	Varma Odivu Murivu Maruthuvam (Thoguthi-2 Narmbu Murivugal)	வர்ம ஒடிவு முறிவு மருத்துவம் (நரம்பு முறிவு – தொகுதி-2)
9.	A Textbook of Varmam	வர்ம மருத்துவம்
10.	Varmam 108	வர்மம் – 108
11.	Varma Maruthuva Thodakka Paiirchi Kaiyadu	வர்ம மருத்துவம் – தொடக்கப் பயிற்சிக் கையேடு
12.	Varma Noolalavu Soothitam	வர்ம நூலளவு சூத்திரம்
13.	Varma Odivu Murivu Sari Soothiram-1500	வர்ம ஒடிவு முறிவு சாரி சூத்திரம் -1500
14.	Varma Odivu Murivu Sara Soothiram -1200	வர்ம ஒடிவு முறிவு சர சூத்திரம் -1200
15.	Varma Sara Soothira Thiravukol -36	வர்ம சர சூத்திரத் திறவுகோல் -36
16.	Shathuramani Soothiram -600	சதுரமணி சூத்திரம்-600
17.	Urapathi Naramparai	உற்பத்தி நரம்றை
18.	Lada Soothiram -300	லாட சூத்திரம் -300
19.	Adivarma Sootcham	அடிவர்ம சூட்சம்
20.	Varma Lada Soothiram	வர்ம லாட சூத்திரம்
21.	Varma Soothiram -200	வர்ம சூத்திரம் -200
22.	Varma Beeranky -100	வர்ம பீரங்கி -100
23.	Paduvarma Vibara Thathuva Kattalai	படுவர்ம விவர தத்துவக்கட்டளை
24.	Nalu Mathirai (Urai) -180	நாலு மாத்திரை உரை -180
25.	Varmani Soothiram -100	வர்மாணி சூத்திரம் -100
26.	Odivu Murivu Kattumurai Sari -110	ஒடிவு முறிவு கட்டுமுறை சாரி -110
27.	Odivu Murivu Kattu Soothiram -60	ஒடிவு முறிவு கட்டு சூத்திரம் -60
28.	Varma Soothiram -50	வர்ம சூத்திரம் -50
29.	Varma Beeranky Thiravukol -16	வர்ம பீரங்கி திறவுகோல் -16
30.	Varma Soodamani	வர்ம சூடாமணி
31.	Varma Kannadi -500	வர்ம கண்ணாடி -500
32.	Varma Kalai Kannadi Soothiram -200	வர்ம கலைகண்ணாடி சூத்திரம் -200
33.	Varma Kalai Kannadi Soothira Thiravukol	வர்ம கலை கண்ணாடி சூத்திர திறவுகோல்
34.	Varma Noolyani -200	வர்ம நூலேணி – 200
35.	Varma Sootchathi Sootcham -100	வர்ம சூட்சாதி சூட்சம் – 100
36.	Varma Kandi -60	வர்ம கண்டி – 60
37.	Varma Alavu Nool -50	வர்ம அளவு நூல் – 50
38.	Varma Mutthirai -200	வர்ம முத்திரை – 200
39.	Thattu Varma Nithanam -32	தட்டு வர்ம நிதானம் 32
40.	Ul Soothiram -32	உள் சூத்திரம் – 32
41.	Varma Kaimurai -36	வர்ம கைமுறை – 36
42.	Varma Theerppu -32	வர்ம தீர்ப்பு – 32
43.	Varma Kaviyam -28	வர்ம காவியம் – 28
44.	Varmani -16	வர்மாணி – 16
45.	Varma Beeranky 100 in Thiravukol -16	வர்ம பீரங்கி 100- க்கு திறவுகோல் 16
46.	Varma Ponnosi Thiravukol	வர்மபொன்னூசி திறவுகோல்
47.	Thoudu Varma Thiravukol 16	தொடுவர்ம திறவுகோல் 16
48.	Ul Soothiram -16	வர்ம குருநாடித் திறவுகோல் -32
49.	Varma Urpana Sari -32	வர்ம உற்பன சாரி -32
50.	Varma Angathi Patham	வர்ம அங்காதி பாதம்
51.	Varma Kurunadi	வர்ம குருநாடி
52.	Varma Kurunadi Thiravukol	வர்ம குருநாடி திறவுகோல்
53.	Varma Sari	வர்ம சாரி
54.	Varma Villum Vesaiyum Soothiram	வர்ம வில்லும் விசையும் சூத்திரம்
55.	Varma Oli -1000	வர்ம ஒளி -1000
56.	Varma Nithanam -500	வர்ம நிதானம் –500
57.	Varma Gnana Odivu Murivu Sara Soothiram -2200	வர்ம ஞான ஒடிவு முறிவு சர சூத்திரம் 2200
58.	Varma Kandam -1500	வர்ம காண்டம் -1500
59.	Varma Sootcham -1500	வர்ம சூட்சம் -1500
60.	Odivu Murivu Sari Nigandukarathi -1200	ஒடிவு முறிவு சாரி நிகண்டகராதி -1200
61.	Varma Nithanam -500	வர்ம நிதானம் -500
62.	Varma Avathi Nithanam -500	வர்ம அவதி நிதானம் -500
63.	Varma Marundhu Soothiram -500	வர்ம மருந்து சூத்திரம் -500
64.	Varma Soodamani -500	வர்ம சூடாமணி -500
65.	Agathiyar Kurunadi -500	அகத்தியர் குருநாடி -500
66.	Pancha Soothiram -500	பஞ்ச சூத்திரம் -500
67.	Varma Thoonda Mani -416	வர்ம தூண்டாமணி -416
68.	Nalu (Mani) Mathirai -400 (Urai)	நாலு (மணி) மாத்திரை -400 (உரை)
69.	Vagada Nithanam -350	வாகட நிதானம் -350
70.	Varma Sara Sankiraga Murivu Sari -350	வர்ம சார சங்கிரக முறிவு சாரி -350
71.	Varma Odivu Murivu Gnanam -300	வர்ம ஒடிவு முறிவு ஞானம் -300
72.	Vilvisai Kaivalliyam -300	வில்விசை கை வல்லியம் -300
73.	Varma Atchara Kural -300	வர்ம அட்சரக் குறள் -300
74.	Urpana Sari -205	உற்பன சாரி -205
75.	Varma Thiravukol -225	வர்ம திறவு கோல் -225
76.	Narambu Pinal Soothiram -213	நரம்பு பின்னல் சூத்திரம் -213
77.	Varma Soothiram -205	வர்ம சூத்திரம் -205
78.	Chekilshai Murivu Sari -205 (Urai)	சிகிச்சை முறிவு சாரி -205 (உரை)
79.	Varma Sari -205	வர்ம சாரி -205
80.	Narmpu Soothiram -150	நரம்பு சூத்திரம் -150
81.	Varma Kuru Nool -130	வர்ம குரு நூல் -130
82.	Varma Nithanam -125	வர்ம நிதானம் -125
83.	Nalu Mathirai -120 (Urai)	நாலு மாத்திரை -120 (உரை)
84.	Varma Thathuva Soodamani -100	வர்ம தத்துவ சூடாமணி -100
85.	Sokkuma Sinthamani -120	சூக்கும சிந்தாமணி -120
86.	Thoudu Varma Nithanam -110	தொடு வர்ம நிதானம் -110
87.	Pathathi Kesa Varma Aani -108 (Urai)	பாதாதி கேச வர்ம ஆணி -108 (உரை)
88.	Varma Kandi Sasthiram -108	வர்ம கண்டி சாஸ்திரம் -108
89.	Varma Narmbarai -108	வர்ம நரம்பறை -108
90.	Varma Nool -100	வர்ம நூல் -100
91.	Varma Villang Alavu Korvai -100 (Varma Thachu Sasthiram)	வர்ம வில்லங்க அளவு கோர்வை -100 (எனும் வர்ம தச்சு சாஸ்திரம்)
92.	Varma Amarthal Murai	வர்ம அமத்தல் முறை
93.	Narambu Soothiram -100	நரம்பு சூத்திரம் -100
94.	Vaithiya Sathagam -100	வைத்திய சதகம் -100
95.	Varma Muda Murivu Sari -100	வர்ம முடமுறிவு சாரி -100
96.	Murivu Nithanam -100	முறிவு நிதானம் -100
97.	Varma Kundooshi -100	வர்ம குண்டூசி -100
98.	Varma Vithi -67	வர்ம விதி -67
99.	Agathiyar Suvadu Murai -64	அகத்தியர் சுவடுமுறை -64
100.	Lada Soothiram -64	லாட சூத்திரம் -64
101.	Adangal Mathirai Thiravukol -51	அடங்கல் மாத்திரை திறவு கோல் -51
102.	Varma Sootcham Kaipaga Kai Valliya Nool -50	வர்ம சூட்ச கைபாக கை வல்லிய நூல் -50
103.	Varma Noolalavu Soothiram -50	வர்ம நூலளவு சூத்திரம் -50
104.	Varma Kandi -60	வர்ம கண்டி -60
105.	Odivu Murivu Kattu Soothiram -60	ஒடிவு முறிவு கட்டு சூத்திரம் -60
106.	Varma Sasthiram -60	வர்ம சாத்திரம் -60
107.	Murivu Kattu Thiravukol -50	முறிவு கட்டு திறவு கோல் -50
108.	Varma Villum Visaiyum -50	வர்ம வில்லும் விசையும் -50
109.	Nallu Mathirai Thiravukol -50 (Urai)	நாலு மாத்திரை திறவு கோல் -50 (உரை)
110.	Varma Kaimurai Sootcham -36	வர்ம கைமுறை சூட்சம் -36
111.	Varma Kaivalliyam -36	வர்ம கைவல்லியம் -36
112.	Narampu Soothiram -35	நரம்பு சூத்திரம் -35
113.	Varma Kurunaadi -35	வர்ம குருநாடி -35
114.	Varma Kurunaadi Thiravukol -32	வர்ம குருநாடித் திறவுகோல் -32
115.	Varma Urpana Sari -32	வர்ம உற்பன சாரி -32
116.	Varma Alavu Nool -30 (Urai)	வர்ம அளவு நூல் -30 (உரை)
117.	Varma Kaviyam	வர்ம கண்ணாடி
118.	Varma Soodi	வர்ம சூடி
119.	Pogar Varma Soothiram -25	போகர் வர்ம சூத்திரம் -25
120.	Ullura Adangal Adakkam -24	உள்ளுர அடங்கல் அடக்கம் -24
121.	Pancha Soothira Thiravukol -20	பஞ்ச சூத்திர திறவு கோல் -20
122.	Naramparai -400	நரம்பறை -400
123.	Varma Thadavu Murai -16	வர்ம தடவு முறை -16
124.	Varmaani -16	வர்மாணி -16
125.	Varma Kandi -16	வர்ம கண்டி -16
126.	Varma Sura Nool -16	வர்ம சுரநூல் -16
127.	Varma Thiravukol -16	வர்ம திறவுகோல் -16
128.	Ponnusi Thiravukol -16	பொன்னூசி திறவுகோல் -16
129.	Varma Thathuva Soodamani -100	வர்ம தத்துவ சூடாமணி -100
130.	Varmaani Soothiram	வர்மாணி சூத்திரம்
131.	Nadasari -16	நடசாரி -16
132.	Thoudu Varma Thiravukol -16	தொடு வர்ம திறவுகோல் -16
133.	Sarvaanga Adangal Aani	சர்வாங்க அடங்கல் ஆணி
134.	Sarvaanga Adangal Thiravukol -13	சர்வாங்க அடங்கல் திறவு கோல் -13
135.	Thuritha Elakumurai Adangal Thiravukol -13	துரித இளக்குமுறை அடங்கல் திறவு கோல் -13
136.	Varma Aanni Thiravukol -18	வர்ம ஆணித் திறவு கோல் -18
137.	Santor Rakaseyam -10	சான்றோர் இரகசியம் -10
138.	Varma Athisayam -10	வர்ம அசாத்தியம் -10
139.	Thattu Varma Suvadu -8	தட்டு வர்மச் சுவடு -8
140.	Marana Kandi -6	மரண கண்டி -6
141.	Varma Aaram -6	வர்ம ஆரம் -6
142.	Karppinigal Varma Elakku Murai -5	கர்ப்பிணிகள் வர்ம இளக்குமுறை -5
143.	Varma Vilakkam (Urai)	வர்ம விளக்கம் (உரை)
144.	Varma Kalppam -62	வர்ம கல்பம் -62
145.	Pranna Adakkam Ennum Varma Deyveeka Adangal	பிராண அடக்கம் எனும் வர்ம தெய்வீக அடங்கல்கள்
146.	Varma Viralalavu Nool (Urai)	வர்ம விரலளவு நூல் (உரை)
147.	Varma Viralalavu Soothiram	வர்ம விரலளவு சூத்திரம்
148.	Varmamum Ealupu Muraiyum	வர்மமும் எழுப்பு முறையும்
149.	Adduku Nilai Pothagam (Varma Tharka Sasthiram)	அடுக்கு நிலை போதகம் (வர்ம தற்க சாஸ்திரம்)
150.	Jeevourppathi Sinthamani	சீவோற்பத்தி சிந்தாமணி
151.	Varma Kaipaga Kaivalliyam Nool	வர்ம கைபாக கைவல்லியம் நூல்
152.	Mangaiyar Mani	மங்கையர் மணி
153.	Varma Kandi (Vadakan Vali)	வர்ம கண்டி (வடக்கன் வழி)
154.	Karppa Sari Soothiram	கர்ப சாரி சூத்திரம்
155.	Beeman Vali Kurunthadi Siramam -120	பீமன் வழி குறுந்தடி சிரமம் -120
156.	Agathiyar Kampu Soothiram	அகத்தியர் கம்பு சூத்திரம்
157.	Koodalozhivu Siramam	கூடலொழிவு சிரமம்
158.	Murivu Sari Adangal -80	முறிவு சாரி அடங்கல் -80
159.	Kaya Nithanam	காய நிதானம்
160.	Mattu Varma Vagadam	மாட்டு வர்ம வாகடம்
161.	Varma Vaithiya Makudam	வர்ம வைத்திய மகுடம்
162.	Varma Sasthira Samagaram	வர்ம சாஸ்திர சமகாரம்
163.	Varma Sasthira Pedika	வர்ம சாஸ்திர பீடிகா
164.	Lada Soothiram -1200	லாட சூத்திரம் -1200
165.	Varma Kalai Kalanchiyam	வர்ம கலைக் களஞ்சியம்
166.	Tenpandi Tamilarin Silampavaralarum Adimurikalm Part-1	தென்பாண்டித் தமிழரின் சிலம்ப வரலாறும் அடிமுறைகளும் தொகுதி-1
167.	Tenpandi Tamilarin Silampavaralarum Adimurikalm Part-2	தென்பாண்டித் தமிழரின் சிலம்ப வரலாறும் அடிமுறைகளும் தொகுதி-2
168.	Varma Ariviyal Pada Nool	வர்ம அறிவியல் பாடநூல்
169.	Varma Maruthuva Kaiyadakam	வர்ம மருத்துவ கையடக்கம்
170.	Odivu Murivu Sari Nigandugarathi -1200 (500 – Classics Only)	ஒடிவு முறிவு சாரி நிகண்டகராதி -1200 (500 பாடல்கள் மட்டும்)
171.	Varma Vithi	வர்ம விதி
172.	Paddu Varmam -12	படுவர்மம் -12
173.	Nedum Silampa Kalai Part-1	நெடும் சிலம்பக் கலை பாகம் -1
174.	Nedum Silampa Kalai Part-2	நெடும் சிலம்பக் கலை பாகம் -2
175.	Siddhirkalin Varma Soothirnkal	சித்தர்களின் வர்ம சூத்திரங்கள்

CONTENTS

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS Study area Locating palm manuscripts Collection of palm manuscripts Cleaning process Digitization process Assessment of condition of palm manuscripts Assessment of age of palm manuscripts Authors of manuscripts RESULTS Language of manuscripts Number and condition of manuscript Age of manuscripts Authors of manuscripts Contents of manuscripts Unique manuscripts DISCUSSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REFERENCES

ABSTRACT

Background: Traditional Medicine throughout the world has been passed on to the next generation mostly by oral tradition. The two codified medical traditions of India, Ayurvedic and Siddha have also been similarly promoted and the medical literature is in the poetic form for continuity and easy memorization. Subsequently they were written down in palm leaves. Not all palm manuscripts, treasure of knowledge have been converted into books.

Objective: To collect and digitize the traditional Siddha medical knowledge documented in the Siddha palm manuscripts in the possession of Traditional healers.

Materials and Methods: The Centre for Traditional Medicine, Tamil Nadu, India, carried out survey among different practitioners of Traditional Medicine in northern Tamil Nadu, to locate and collect palm manuscripts and followed it with preservation, cataloging and digitization using digital scanners and photographic equipment.

Results: Two hundred and fifty six works were analyzed and this paper presents the age, authorship, subject content and status of the palm manuscripts.

Conclusion: The traditional knowledge present in the palm manuscripts are undergoing decay and the persons with knowledge to decipher are less. Hence there is an urgent need to decipher and publish the contents as books.

Key words: Siddha, palm manuscripts, Traditional knowledge, survey, India, Tamil Nadu, Ayurvedic

Citation: Rajkumar S, Srinivasan T, Thirunarayanan T, Sangeetha R. Survey of Tamil Siddha manuscripts in possession of Traditional Healers in Northern Tamil Nadu. Int J Pharmacol and Clin Sci 2012;1:68-73.

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge traditionally has been passed on to the next generation by oral tradition before being documented. Ayurvedic and Siddha have also been similarly promoted and the medical literature is in the poetic form for continuity and easy memorization when passed on to the next generation by rote learning. The earliest documentation has been as writing in copper foils, stone and clay plates/tablets and subsequently in palm leaves (Borassus flabellifer) in South Asian countries. The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India, i.e., in the mid-second millennium BCE. The SuSruta Saṃhita and the Charaka Saṃhita, encyclopedias of medicine compiled from various sources from the mid-first millennium BCE to about 500 CE, are among the foundational works of Ayurveda. These works are available in the book form with commentaries by different authors. The other tradition Siddha in spite of having multiple contributors of primary knowledge, the eighteen Siddhars, has not been very fortunate to have that many original texts published in book form. However the largest share of the palm manuscript collection of South India, particularly Tamil Nadu is on Traditional Siddha medical practice next only to personal astrology and mantra. The palm leaves being locally available, cheap and easy to write was used more widely than other forms of traditional documents.

India possesses an estimate of five million manuscripts, probably the largest collection in the world. These cover a variety of themes, textures and aesthetics, scripts, languages, calligraphies, illuminations and illustrations. Together, they constitute the ‘memory' of India's history, heritage and thought. The SaraSvati Mahal Library and Manuscriptlogy dept of Tamil University at Thanjavur and the following institutes in Chennai, The Govt. Oriental Manuscript Library, U.Ve.Swaminathaiyer Library, Institute of Asian Studies, International Institute of Tamil Studies, Siddha Central Research Institute, Literary division of the Directorate on Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, posses a large number of Siddha manuscripts apart from religious mutts and private individuals. With copies of the same work being available in different libraries and individual possession it is considered about 800 original works of texts of Siddha Medicine are available and of which about 160 have been published as of now. The Govt. Oriental Manuscript Library has digitized and created catalogue for 1085 Tamil Siddha manuscripts in the year 2005.

However, a large number of manuscripts lie scattered across the country and beyond, in numerous institutions as well as private collections, often unattended and undocumented. The current work of collection, cataloguing and digitization was carried out by Centre for Traditional Medicine and Research (CTMR), in Northern Tamil Nadu during the period 2011-2012 and an analysis of the status, content is presented in this paper.

The primary objective was to prepare a digitized inventory of Siddha Medical palm manuscripts along with catalogue of author and subject content. The other objective was to explore the possibility of using this traditional knowledge for future drug development based on leads with proper equity for the holders of traditional knowledge.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study area

The area covered under this survey included Chennai, Vellore, Kanchipuram, Thiruvanamalai, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, Villupuram districts of Tamil Nadu (Figure 1). Tamil Nadu lies between 8°5' and 13°35' north latitude and 76°15' and 80°20' east longitude. This area lies south of Andra Pradesh and bounded in the east by Bay of Bengal and west by Salem district in some parts and Bangalore rural district of Karnataka and south by Cuddalore district. The Study area accounts for 35% of Tamil Nadu and each district has about 150 Traditional healers.

Most of the healers store manuscripts in their homes mostly due to the sentiments they attach to the traditional heritage and have a reluctance to share their possession. They also believe that the knowledge or the unique formulation present in the manuscripts could bring them a huge royalty.

Figure 1: Areas covered (under study)

Locating palm manuscripts

The primary activity was identifying the location of the palm manuscripts. Awareness meetings were held for Traditional healers and institutionally trained Siddha physicians in Dharmapuri, Vellore, Coimbatore, Chennai, Thiruvannamalai and Tirunelveli about the need for collections, preservations and conservation, digitization of the Tamil Siddha palm manuscripts. This helped in identifying manuscripts lying with healers and physicians. The various religious Mutts and libraries were visited to explore the possibility of digitizing hitherto undigitized Manuscripts.

Collection of palm manuscripts

About 400 healers were briefed personally in the awareness meetings and 15 healers provided the palm manuscripts for screening and digitization. Manuscripts thus collected were cleaned and handled as per the guidelines of the National Manuscript Mission of India.

Cleaning process

Palm leaf being in nature is susceptible to deterioration due to physical damage and decay. The most common deteriorating agents are climatic factors like temperature and humidity variations, insects, constant handling and improper storage. We cleaned every leaf with soft tissue paper and lemon grass oil was applied to each leaf to preserve palm leaves. Fading was restored by applying carbon black mixed with oil on the leaf. Then leaves were dried and kept in wooden shelves to avoid direct sunlight. Each state and region has its own indigenous method of preparing, writing and preserving the palm leaves." Few methods to conserve manuscripts are;

1. The use of natural herbs like Vasambu (Acorus calamus) or Neem leaves (Azadirachta indica) with the manuscripts to keep insects away.

2. Application of citronella oil, camphor oil, or lemon grass oil on the surface of the leaves to keep it flexible. This prevents physical damage due to brittleness.

3. Fumigation with thymol vapors helps to prevent fungus.

Digitization process

Epson GT 20000 Scan with 300 dpi resolution was used for digitization, wherever required higher resolution up to 600 dpi was used. The digitized manuscripts were returned to the persons who originally possessed the manuscripts along with digital version. The rest 56 bundles were kept in wooden shelves at the library of CTMR as the healers felt it may not be possible to conserve them in their location without decay or of no use to them due to their failing vision and not in a position to read them any further and lack of interest among the next generation.

Assessment of condition of palm manuscripts

The conditions of the palm manuscripts were classified as damaged, minimal damaged and good based on the following criteria;

Damaged - the manuscripts which were damaged beyond the margins and multiple holes in the palm manuscripts making it difficult to read. Minimally damaged - these were the ones where the margins or the first and last folios were damaged or moth eaten or with fungus or letters invisible but could be retrieved. Good condition - palm manuscripts where the margins were complete, the letters were readable with the folios arranged in proper order.

The individual texts were assessed as complete and incomplete by matching the poetic text number with the number mentioned in the title of each texts.

Assessment of age of palm manuscripts

The age of the text were determined by the year, month, day, star, ayanam (solar movement) based on Tamil calendar mentioned in the script. Colophon given by the authors, language used, units mentioned and the writing style of letters were also considered to assess the age and the place of origin of the manuscripts.

Authors of manuscripts

The palm manuscripts were broadly be classified as primary and secondary source. Primary source (original work) in which the name of Siddhar is mentioned and is usually in the poetic form. Secondary source is the one where individual physicians have recorded their clinical experiences including drug formulations, process methods and treatment procedures.

RESULTS

Language of manuscripts

The palm manuscripts though were collected from the northern part of Tamil Nadu, the vast majority of them were written in Tamil in the dialect and glossary used in southern districts such as Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari of Tamil Nadu as Siddha tradition flourished in these region and palm trees were also aplenty.

Number and condition of manuscript

About 210 bundles of palm manuscripts were collected, of which, 160 bundles containing 258 texts belong to Siddha Medical literature. The rest were of astrology consisting of indi-vidual's birth chart and shamanism. Majority bundles contained only one Siddha text, few bundles contained 3 - 12 Siddha texts. Out of 258 Siddha manuscripts, 197 were in good condition, 26 were in minimally damaged condition and 35 were damaged. Of the 258 texts so far digitized, 122 texts were available in complete form while 136 were incomplete (Figures 2 - 3).

Age of manuscripts

The oldest palm manuscripts of this collection was about 400 years old (16th Century) and the latest was about 150 years old.

Authors of manuscripts

Though texts contributed by fifteen Siddhars were collected in the process, the largest number of seventy is attributed to Saint Agstyar. In our observation, many authors of Siddha texts attributed their knowledge to Agastyar and hence those texts go in the name of Agastyar (Table 1).

Table 1: Number of texts attributed to different authors

Author	No of Siddha texts
Agastyar	70
Bogar	7
Bhramamuni	3
Dakshinamoorthy	4
Dhanvantri	7
Korakkar	3
Karuvoorar	7
Machamuni	3
Nandheesar	5
Pulipani	5
Ramadevar	5
Romarishi	3
Sattamuni	7
Sundaranandar	3
Therayar	2
Thirumoolar	2
Yacobu	1
Healers notes	120

Contents of manuscripts

Though most of the scripts contain more than one area of knowledge, like formulation, treatment, diagnosis, specialty, the primary content was taken for content classification. The subject elaborated in the palm manuscripts had a large number of formulations, disease classification, and specialty areas of treatment (Table 2).

Unique manuscripts

The availability of palm manuscripts of specialty areas like Varmam, Ophthalmology, Toxicology, Inorganic formulation and pulse diagnosis reveal the strength of the Traditional Siddha system of medicine. The treatise on Materia medica ‘Agastyar Gunapadam’ which was collected during this process was over 300 years and probably the first Siddha treatise which elaborates the properties of different herbal raw materials and food substances. The latter texts like ‘Pathartha Guna chintamani’ ‘Pathartha Guna Vilakkam’ are based on this text as we found out in slightly altered forms (in terms of words).

The presence of Unani medicine in Tamil was also not known before and is worth further studies. The presence of eight texts on pulse diagnosis which elaborates the most important diagnostic tool which is unique to this traditional medical system provides lot of research opportunity. The Siddha texts on disease of the children (Kulandhai Maruthuvam) not only elaborate the different disease conditions but also preventive care. The treatise on Karneegam - ear diseases is also less known and requires further detailed study.

Table 2: Content of the Manuscripts

Subject	No of texts
Formulations of Healers	60
Processing of inorganic	4
Materia Medica	2
Diagnostic methods	2
Pulse diagnosis	8
Disease description –Vaatham	7
Disease description - Fever	3
Ophthalmology – Nayana Vidhi	3
Pediatrics – Kulandhai Maruthuvam	5
Women health including ante-natal care	3
Ear disease- Karneegam	1
Surgery – Saliyam	1
Drug Synthesis – Sarakku Vaippu	1
Varma	3
Unani Medicine	1
Treatment Procedures	12
Mystic treatment- Faith healing	12
Toxicology – Vishavaidyam	2
Assorted including medicines, prayers, treatment	128

Figure 2: Palm manuscript bundles

Figure 3: Siddha palm manuscripts (a) before cleaning process and (b) after cleaning process

DISCUSSION

The damage of the palm manuscripts have occurred due to improper maintenance as many owned it by default as a family property with little interest in the traditional medicine and also due to inadequate knowledge either in conserving or digitization. During our field studies it was observed that the rare palm manuscripts leaves were destroyed by rodents, moth or due to vagaries of climate and some got trenched in rain as they are mostly kept in the roof of huts. It was also observed, where ever they were held by practicing healers, they were in a reasonably good state, this is evident from the fact as many as 120 original texts which are over 300 years were found in good shape. An organized search for old manuscripts in the possession of individuals, libraries of religious institutions, monasteries may yield rich results. The critical examination of these manuscripts, cataloging, their publication and translation, are among the many things that needs to be done to fully explore the potential of the South Indian Traditional medicine - Siddha. Still many thousand palm manuscripts lie with individual healers and institutes, which needs to be digitized and creation of proper catalogue of all such works needs to be carried out in the future, particularly from Southern part of Tamil Nadu. The recent palm manuscripts are mostly clinical experiences of individual healers and formulations used by them in practice. The clinical experience with these formulations vouchsafe for the efficacy.

The current work is only a tip of the iceberg and efforts needs to be taken to digitize the palm manuscripts collected so far by various Organisation and a complete catalogus catalogorum of Siddha manuscripts needs to be created and made available online so that, comparative analysis is taken up and critical editions of Siddha texts published. The treasure of formulations will open up new opportunities in the area of drug development.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Authors acknowledge the Department of AYUSH, Govt. of India for the grant for digitization of Siddha Tamil Manuscripts and Vd. S.Usman Ali, Director of our institute for guidance and various healers for providing the palm manuscripts. The Authors thank Mr. Adikesavan for assistance in preserving the manuscripts.