BACKGROUND

Right now there is a significant gap in the historical research of Siddha medicine written in English. A handful of scholars including Kamil Zvelebil, Richard Weiss, Gary Hausman, and others have started preliminary research on the history and development of Siddha medicine. However, there are few translations of the major texts; little is known about its development over time; and even less is written about its contemporary practice.

This blog will provide a framework for understanding the chronological trajectory of Siddha medicine, beginning with the original texts and concluding with recent scholarship. Using source documents, we will examine the diverse origins of Siddha medicine, which span multiple cultural, religious and even regional boundaries. By tracing the initial foundations of Siddha medicine and their subsequent transformation we can identify the relationships between major figures, ideas, texts, events and locations. This timeline will extend through the colonial and post-colonial era to the current practice of Siddha medicine.

Some of the questions addressed will center around the extent to which indigenous and exogenous influences have shaped this medical tradition. This will include alchemical and Tantric-yoga practices, Saiva-Siddhanta and other systems of belief, Ayurveda, and other local health practices.

Further, what kind of sharing occurred between Siddha medicine and other regions such as Tibet, China, the Middle East, and other South/Southeast Asian areas?

More recently, how has Siddha medicine interacted with the global community in the 20th century especially in regard to biomedical knowledge? At this time scientific researchers throughout the world are studying the benefits of Siddha medicine for treatment of various chronic, life-threatening illness including cancer and AIDS.

Concurrently, there is also a move towards preserving and protecting this indigenous knowledge through various governmental and non-governmental organizations. Intellectual property rights and the commercialization of Siddha medicine are poignant issues for practitioners and scholars alike.