When some select Tamil Nadu political groups make war cry for Tamil language and its promotion, some from the ancient traditional and faith based healing practice that thrived in Tamil Nadu called Siddha wants to change the entire curriculum scripts of Siddha (BSMS) from Tamil to other languages so that they can attract students from other states to join for BSMS course.
The spiritual and sacred values of Siddha system lies in the Tamil literary profundity and Tamil tradition. Today Siddha system has recognition, space and its exalted niche in the map of India because of it is endemic to Tamil Nadu from which the practice got originated and spread to other parts of the world.
If we dilute the soul of Siddha system by translating the teaching curriculum of Siddha system, sooner than later we would erode the essence and uniqueness of Siddha system as well as the legacy and wisdom of Tamil scholars about health, disease, health recipe preparations and the holistic understanding of body-mind relation in dealing health and disease. Translating Siddha wisdom in English language is not a bad idea, as such an effort would expand the understating of Siddha system to everyone especially those who do not know Tamil language. Providing the curriculum of Siddha in English or other language just to increase the student base for Siddha system will certainly destroy the credence and relevance of the ancient Tamil wisdom.
Like how Ayurveda is linked with our Vedas and Sanskrit language, Siddha is linked with Tamil culture and tradition and hence the teaching of Siddha at BSMS level must be in Tamil and only then the true scholarliness of Siddha system would remain relevant and glorious.
The commercial interest seems to be inundating the Tamil tradition and the ancient wisdom of health to its advantage but such an endeavour would certainly erode Siddha system and would reduce the Siddha system as yet another traditional healing practice.
Siddha system has great philosophy, tradition, legacy, spirituality and literary power of Tamil language. All of them we cannot translate. Only the letter we can translate at best and not the spirit. Siddha system must be dealt with the ‘sprit’ of the system and not just the letter.
Popularizing and expanding the acceptance of Siddha system must be done through positioning the system for wellness and health and not by competing with allopathic system or trying to project the Siddha recipes as drugs like that of allopathy.
Unfortunately many institutionally qualified Siddha vaidya in private practice by engaging in cross pathy has earned a very bad reputation to Siddha system. Through cross pathy, such Siddha vaidyas have indirectly proved to the patients that Siddha system does not have effective remedies and that is why they are prescribing allopathic drugs.
Siddha system is wellness providing, health restoring system. Siddha concept and philosophy of addressing the health lies in the holistic outlook and seeing the mind-body relation in totality. The premedical and post – treatment care or in simple reference, the paramedical values of Siddha system is extremely relevant, which is vibrant, dynamic and important to our present generation. Instead of promoting the real strength of Siddha system, some vaidya in private practice are promoting allopathic system and neglecting Siddha system.
The recent demand for translation of Siddha curriculum from Tamil to English is another attempt to put the last nail in coffin of our glorious, rich Siddha healing practice that evolved with great philosophy and wisdom of our ancient Tamil scholars and Siddhars.
Siddha system has lots to offer to our humanity as it has rich mention of various paramedical and pre-medical recipes, procedures, methodologies and dos & don’ts to live healthy and happy.
Siddha system is the geographic indicator of Tamil literature and philosophy and hence the Siddha curriculum should not be translated in English. Government of Tamil Nadu and Ministry of AYUSH must ensure that all Siddha vaidya in private practice do not engage in cross pathy and cause medication health fraud and questions the relevance of Siddha system.
Strict law must be enacted to punish all those vaidya when engages in cross pathy and quackery. Let us make our India healthy and happy by promoting AYUSH for wellness and health and also for various paramedical benefits. Philosophy and spirituality are also essential to deal our health problems because mind-body balance is the cardinal principle of understanding and curing every problem.
