ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

AYUSH website, http://www.indianmedicine.nic.in/html/research/srmain.htm
This website is a gateway for information on Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy sponsored by the Dept. of AYUSH [Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy], part of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India. It contains basic definitions, updated information about practice, links to various related organizations, and even a list of “eminent people” who are considered to be experts in their respective fields.

http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/25/stories/2005072509300300.htm
The Hindu is one of India’s national newspapers, published in English and founded by Subramanya Aiyer, a South Indian. It is generally critical of “neo-liberal” policies within India.

Balasubramanian, A.V. The Relevance of a Vibrant Tradition. Special Issue: The Hindu
Folio, 8 October 2000.
See above, as The Hindu Folio is a special publication of The Hindu. This article outlines the classical and folk traditions of medicine and their relevance to contemporary health concerns, with an explicit critique of modern science and technology.

Ganapathy, T.N. The Yoga of Siddha Bogananthar. Quebec: Babaji’s Kriya Yoga and
Publications, Inc., 2003.
Ganapathy is a scholar who is deeply committed to bringing forth the traditions of Siddha lineages, and is working to translate various texts. He provides a rich account of the texture of Siddha practitioners, and in this publication he focuses on Bhogar’s hagiography and teachings.

Hausman, Gary. Siddhars, Alchemy and the Abyss of Tradition: 'Traditional' Tamil
Medical Knowledge in 'Modern' Practice (INDIA) Dissertation, University of Michigan, 1996.
This dissertation is a balance between ethnographical accounts and government archives, revealing the fascinating melding of the world of secrecy and unambiguousness. It is one of the few sources where the voices of practitioners are documented and compared with policies.

Ranga, Rama S. et al. Rasagenthi Lehyam (RL) a novel complementary and alternative
medicine for prostate cancer. Cancer Chemotherapy Pharmacology, Vol. 54: 7-15. Published Online: Springer-Verlag, 24 March 2004.
This research was a collaborative effort between the University of Kentucky and institutions and practitioners in India. Though it is a preliminary study, it looks to the future in producing an effective anti-tumor agent.

Sacks, Henry S. Collaborative HIV/AIDS Development Project India. National Center
for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), National Institutes of Health: 22 September 2003 – 31 March 2005. Grant # 5R21AT002000-02.
Couched in collaborative terms, this alliance building research sought to evaluate Siddha interventions for managing HIV.
Sowmyalakshmi, Srinivasan, et al. Investigation on Semecarpus Lehyam – a Siddha
medicine for breast cancer. Planta, Vol. 220: 910-18. Published Online: Springer-Verlag, 28 October 2004.
Almost identical to Ranga et al.’s work.

Subbarayappa, B.V. Siddha Medicine: An Overview. Lancet pp. 172-5, Vol. 350:
December 20/27, 1997.
Summary of the major aspects of the tradition and its contemporary practice.

Thottam, Dr. Paul Joseph. Siddha Medicine: A Handbook of Traditional Remedies. New
Delhi: Penguin Books India, 2000.
This is indeed a handbook, and reads like a training manual for a budding Siddha physician. Written by a practitioner, it is clear and easy to understand the basics of diagnosis, treatment, and even the preparation of medicines. Also reviews the practice of Siddha medicine historically and in recent times.

Weiss, Richard. The Reformulation of a Holy Science: Siddha Medicine and Tradition in
South India. Dissertation, University of Chicago, 2003.
This is primarily a critical-terms approach to the history of religion, especially around the topic of “tradition.” It is guided by an excellent analysis of language, the politics of representation and the major issue of secrecy in the Siddha tradition. Mostly text-based, it provides documentation of the gradual incorporation of Siddha medicine into the Indian government’s system of healthcare, and highlights the way that medical systems compete for authority and authenticity as well as clients and practitioners.
World Health Organization. WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy.
(WHO/EDM/TRM/2002.1.) WHO: Geneva, 2002.
Reflects a commitment to facilitating integration, promoting safe use, and preserving information in regard to traditional medicine.

World Health Organization. Review of Traditional Medicine in the South-East Asia
Region. (WHO/IND/EDM/050/2004) WHO: New Delhi, 2004.
A window into how some advocates of traditional medicine argue for their rights. This reflects a high-level of political and strategic positioning, and the challenge in gaining power against multinational corporations.

Zvelebil, Kamil V. The Poets of the Powers: Freedom, Magic, and Renewal. London:
Rider, 1973.
Zvelebil is considered one of the foremost academic scholars on the topic of Tamil Siddhas. His orientation is towards translation and the poetry of the Siddhas, and his books are among the first written in English about the Siddhas.

Zvelebil, Kamil V. The Siddha Quest for Immortality Oxford: Mandrake of Oxford, 1996.
This work is largely repetitive of the work noted above, but also includes useful information on the preparation of medicines as well as the constituents of the preparations.