Chennai: To demonstrate that Siddha and Yoga are complementary in improving the quality of life, the National Institute of Siddha (NIS) here will join the nation in observing the second International Day of Yoga on June 21 by organising a massive yoga demonstration.
“The Siddha system of medicine which is considered as native, traditional system of medicine in Tamil Nadu has incorporated yoga as part of the system aiming at both therapeutic and preventive measures,” explains V. Banumathi, director, NIS.
“This is evident from the Siddha text Thirumanthiram – an authoritative and reference text, which describes both aspects of therapeutic and preventive yogic postures,” she said and added that yoga therapy is administered to patients in addition to regular internal and external therapies for acute and chronic ailments.
The 200-bedded hospital, which caters to an overwhelming 2,300 out patients on any day, imparts the Ashantaga yoga (the eight limbs of yoga path as also highlighted by Patanjali) as explained through personal experience by Tamil Siddhar Thirumoolar who had authored the magnum opus Thirumanthiram in over 3,000 verses, dating back to the 4th century. It is the oldest and most important and authentic text of Yoga from south India and the work combines Yoga, tantra, mysticism, mantra besides Kundalini.
Interestingly, a Tamil Saiva Siddhanta text from around 10th century AD, quoting Thirumoolar’s Thirumanthiram, mentions that Patañjali learnt Yoga along with seven other disciples from the great Yogic Guru Nandhi Deva.
According to Banumathi, a yoga demonstration will be held on June 21 from 6.30 am to 8 am by faculty, staff, students and patients on NIS campus, Tambaram Sanatorium. About 400 people are expected to take part in the programme which will be organised by the Department of Sirappu Maruthuvam.
“It will be general yoga postures to create awareness among the public to encourage them to take up Yoga for good health,” says .N. J. Muthu kumar, associate professor, NIS.
