Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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The IAS Tamil medical
manuscript collection
Inscribed 1997
What is it
More than 500 medical manuscripts, written on palm
leaves and mostly Tamil in origin, which reflect the
ancient system of medicine practiced by the yogis.
Why was it inscribed
The manuscript collection contains the essentials of the
collected pharmacological and medical knowledge and
experience of the Tamil culture, recorded on rare and
fragile media.
Where is it
Institute of Asian Studies, Chennai, India
The manuscripts of the Institute of Asian Studies (IAS)
inscribed on the Register are largely of Tamil origin and
written on palm leaves. Tamil, together with Sanskrit,
is one of the two classical languages of India and the
manuscripts are a record of the contemporary knowledge
of the practice of medicine in Tamil culture.
Palm leaves were used as writing material in India for over
two millennia. The leaves were dried, smoothed and smoketreated,
then inscribed by calligraphers in a way that did
not damage the leaf. Substances were applied to highlight
contrast between the leaf page and the written text. Palm
leaves had the benefit of longevity over several hundred
years in the tropical climate before they had to be replaced.
However, with the abandonment of this way of recording
information, existing manuscripts are not being replaced.
Traditional Indian medical practices were based on
Siddha and Ayurvedic medical systems and were practiced
by yogi practitioners. These ancient systems, together
with Indian traditional Unani medicine, are based on
elemental, holistic and natural practices, and are believed
to be thousands of years old, with Siddha being practiced
up to 10,000 years ago.
The manuscripts themselves examine the nature and
symptoms of diseases, together with methods of cure, and
the preparation of medicines following the Siddha and
Ayurvedic systems. They explain the methods of obtaining
medicines from herbs, herbal roots, leaves, flowers, barks
and fruits. The proportions of the ingredients as well
222 The IAS Tamil medical manuscript collection
as the specific processes for creating the medicines are
explained in detail.
By far the greatest number of manuscripts deal with the
preparation of medicines, including powders and pastes,
to cure specific diseases, although more than fifty of the
texts relate to cure through medicine and mantiram, or
mantric devotional chanting. Some manuscripts deal
specifically with illnesses in women and children, and
thirty-five are on alchemy. Many of the most famous
yogi doctors are represented in the collection.