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Siddha, simply means perfection. A sense of mystery prevails about siddhars, or people who achieved siddhi. They were philosophers, healers and people with supernatural powers. While they were reputed to be miracle men, the medical science they practised is surprisingly well documented. In the recent times Siddha medicine has revived.

Siddha medicine was developed by the ancient Tamils, Dravidian people who lived in South India. The early Tamil epics mention poets who were also medical men. In the seventh and 12^th centuries A.D. bhakti literature blossomed, so did medicine. This was the period when most famous siddhars lived. Surgery was well developed.

Kambaramayanam observes,

Incising the haematoma,
blood letting was done
followed by cauterization and
healing it by external application.

According to Dawson's dictionary on Hindu mythology, Siddhars were revered as much as the magi in Europe were. They were people who strove for spiritual well being to achieve the highest goal in life. Siddha, in fact, seems to be the by-product of certain gifted people's quest for spiritual fulfilment.

Attempts are being made to reinvent this ancient form of healing to deal with the ailments of today.

This section contains information under the following topics.

• History and Thought of Siddha
• What goes into the Making of a Man
• The Five Elements and the Three Doshas
• The Seven Dhatus
• Diseases and Diagnosis
• Types of Therapy
• Anti-Aging
• AIDS Control