Siddha system of healing practice has its roots deep in Tamil tradition and Bhakti movement. Ancient Siddhars were not considered as mere mortal being but as divine incarnation. It is believed that Siddhars had inherited the sacred healing wisdom directly from Lord Siva and that is how the Siddhars perpetuated Siddha system in Tamil Nadu. Tamil tradition, devotion to God and culture are closely linked with Siddha literature. Siddha recipes are largely meant for healthy living and mind healing than drugs in strict sense.
Siddha system is a proactive health care system than reactive medical science like allopathic science. The paramedical and post treatment benefits of Siddha system such as massage therapy, mind therapy, Yoga etc., have great value and relevance even today. But cross pathy by several institutionally qualified Siddha Vaidya in private practice has destroyed the Siddha system. Our society needs Siddha recipes to remain healthy more than the allopathic drugs to treat diseases. Government of Tamil Nadu and Ministry of AYUSH must mandate all Siddha vaidyas in private practice to offer Siddha paramedical and premedical therapy than engaging in cross pathy and becomes missionaries of allopathic system.
Tamil Nadu requires wellness and health experts than doctors to make our society healthy and to create health awareness and consciousness among people. People are moving towards healthy living and have started to adopt various measures like vising workout centres which is absolutely an exotic idea and also is costly. If the Tamil culture and faith based Siddha system is reinvented by repositioning Siddha system as proactive healing practice meant for health and for wide variety of paramedical benefits, the state can easily meet the health challenges and also can reduce the financial burden on health delivery system, significantly.
The strategy for the promotion of Siddha system must be clear and unambiguous. Siddha system must be promoted judiciously for the benefit that it can offer than on tall promise or falsehood. Promoting Siddha system as an advanced medical science or its products as drugs like allopathy will not help either Siddha system or our society. Cross pathy by several institutionally qualified Siddha vaidyas in private practice must be strictly curbed because cross pathy not only destroys the relevance of Siddha system but also cause medication health fraud, push the innocent people in remote villages to great risk such as wrong or delayed diagnosis, wrong medication, prolonged suffering and unnecessary wastage of money for the above. Instead of allowing the Vaidyas to showcase their expertise in allopathic system, they should be mandated to engage in Siddha practice for wellness and health.
Tamil Nadu should not lose its ancient health tradition and its recipes. Devotion, commitment and passion must be inculcated among those Vaidyas engaged in cross pathy than covertness.
The importance of proactive health care practice must be promoted at global level and if the Siddha system is promoted properly, the paramedical benefits of Siddha system will enjoy global recognition and acceptance. Siddha Vaidyas instead of engaging in cross pathy must take pride in Siddha system and must unravel many other less known paramedical wonders and therapies of Siddha system to mankind. Cross pathy by Vaidyas is a bane not only to Siddha system and to our health delivery system but also to the entire Tamil tradition.
