Medical science has progressed by leaps and bounds over the years. The last few centuries have seen some great innovations that have helped to decrease mortality rates and increase the overall well-being of people. The nineteenth century was an especially exciting time in the field of medicine due to important developments that took place in chemistry and experiment techniques. The study of bacteriology came into being and over a period of time, various kinds of vaccinations emerged to take care of all kinds of diseases, X-rays were developed, new kinds of medical practices made their way into everyday life. In the bargain, somehow, the older forms of medicine ended up falling by the wayside.
One of the medical systems that nearly got lost in the interim was the system of the Siddhars. The Siddhars were Indian saints who inhabited the area of Tamil Nadu and attempted to attain spiritual liberation through an unorthodox kind of spiritual practice. The Siddhars had access to the great Siddha traditions, which were used in case of illnesses and physiological problems. Many a time, these physical ailments were alleviated due to the wonderful effects of Siddha medicine.
It is the tendency of most of us to sideline ancient practices for being unrelated to the scientific standards of today. Everything that has to do with the past seems to have been grouped together under the spiritual or magical heads. Ancient Indian saints are often associated with magic and miracles — neither of which is believed to have a scientific basis. Ancient traditions may suggest that the ancient practitioners of Siddha medicine had magical powers. However, this should not prompt us to undermine the science and logic behind the Siddha way.
In the same way that other medical systems are based on the foundations of logic and scientific methods, so it is with Siddha medicine. The majority of the chemicals that are put into drugs all have natural origins. Taking this premise, the practitioners of Siddha medicine extract drugs from different kinds of plants that are said to have medicinal properties. The idea behind Siddha medicine is to purge the body of all impurities. Detox is such a popular word today. Yet, the spiritual gurus of ancient India had already stumbled upon the importance of detoxifying the body.
It is well-known that in the medieval times in Europe, the medical system was based on the theory of the four humours — sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, and melancholic. These four humours were associated with the four natural elements — air, fire, water, and earth. The presence of these elements in immoderate proportions was believed to cause diseases and disorders. A similar theory was propounded by the Siddhars who believed that the body was made up of the elements of nature. It was believed that only through eating right could one hope to purify one’s system. Siddha medicine involved the intake of special herbs that would purge impurities and bring the physiognomy back into working order. Clearly, it was not just about magic. Siddha medicine had theoretical foundations as well and deserves to be called a science.
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