One hundred bundles of age-old palm manuscripts collected from different healers and institution trained Siddha physicians have been digitized by CTMR. The project supported by Dept. of AYUSH, Govt. of India commenced in April 2011. The process of collection of the palm manuscripts was done with briefing of different healers associations and individual physicians. The information was also spread through Short Messaging Services and blogging apart from mails. The CTMR team also visited various libraries like Oriental library, Chennai, U.Ve. Swaminathan library, Chennai, International Institute of Tamil Studies, Sarawati Mahal Library, Tamil University library, Publication division of Directorate of Indian medicine to understand the process. The Guidelines issued by the National Manuscripts Mission was followed. Various Mutts particularly saivate mutts, which preserve the manuscripts, were also consulted. Many of the manuscripts recieved by CTMR were in not so good state, have developed fungal spores, order of folios changed with in the bundle, letters were invisible in some. The first task was retrieving them to a good condition by treatment process. Catalogue was prepared by the Manuscript expert Mr.N.Srinivasan. Only Medical manuscripts were digitized, while the rest were cleaned and retrieved. The rest of the collection includes Tantric healing, Mantras, religious texts like Kandha puranam, Yesu kaaviyam and Astrology related manuscripts. The cleaned manuscripts in which folios are kept in order, numbered along with CDs are being handed over to individual healers. The healers who are not in a position to preserve in their places deposit the same at CTMR library for safe keeping. The work of further collection continues and those who wish to provide their manuscripts for the digitization work may contact Dr.S.Rakumar- Project coordinator (94450 90723) or Dr.T.Thirunarayanan- Secretary, CTMR (9444018158).
Source : Siddha CTMR
