T.V. Sambasivam pillai, the acclaimed author, of the Cyclopaedic Dictionary is well known in the field of Indian Medicine. The work of T.V. Sambasivam Pillai, is considered as one of the great treasures of the Siddha system. Neither did he possess a basic medical degree nor he hailed from a family with medical background but his depth of knowledge in the Siddha system is highly commendable. He spent his entire life contributing and deciphering the ancient literatures of the Siddha system.
This work of T.V. Sambasivam Pillai, the acclaimed author, is considered as one of the great treasures of the Siddha system and is used as a reference text by BSMS students. He is among the 12 inspiring personalities whose commemorative stamps will be released on Friday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Friday.
“It is a great privilege to our Siddha community as the Central government is coming out with a stamp on T.V. Sambasivam Pillai,” says Prof. Dr. N.J. Muthukumar, Director, National Institute of Siddha.
“Cyclopaedic Dictionary” is considered as one of the great treasures of the Siddha system of medicine. His depth of knowledge in the Siddha system is highly commendable. He spent his entire life contributing and deciphering the ancient literatures of the Siddha system, the Director said.
“These five volumes of the Cyclopaedic dictionary is now used as a reference book for the B.S.M.S., M.D (Siddha) and Ph.D scholars and this meticulous work is also used as reference material for literature research scholars,” Dr. Muthukumar said.
T.V. Sambasivam Pillai was born on September 19, 1880 in Bengaluru, as the eldest son to Vilviah Manniar and Manonmani Ammal. He hailed from a non-affluent family from a village named Kamuganchenthangudi near Thanjavur. Astonished by the treasure of knowledge lying behind ancient Siddha palm manuscripts, he decided to create a Cyclopeadic Dictionary in English. “What we have today, as the “Cyclopaedic Dictionary” is the result of his sacrifices and untiring efforts, starting from the year 1916, almost to the end of his life,” Dr. Muthukumar added.
He toiled for sixteen years, collecting the material, creating a library for the intended work besides spending major portion of his salary for this work. He even had to sell his lands and other assets for preserving the documents. This dictionary is indeed one of the greatest treasures to the Siddha system of medicine that provides vast and accurate information about plants, minerals, metals, marine and animal products used in the Siddha system for whoever seeking deep information regarding the system.
Source : Deccan Chronicle