National Siddha Day

National Siddha Day is celebrated every year on the birthday of Siddhar Agathiyar , the father of Siddha Medicine.

Background

Siddhar Agathiyar is considered as the father of Siddha Medicine and was born in Star Ayilyam in the Tamil month of Margazhi. The Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India has accorded approval for observing his birthday as Siddha Day every year. 

The first Siddha day was celebrated on January 4, 2018,  Margazhi month Aayilyam star, the birthday of Agathiyar.  The second Siddha Day was celebrated on December 26, 2018 and the third national Siddha Day was celebrated on January 13, 2020. The fourth national Siddha Medical Day was celebrated on January 2, 2021. 

The celebration is proposed to be conducted in a befitting manner so that the general public are conscientised about the benefits of Siddha system of Medicine through various activities, using that day as an occasion.

Objectives of Siddha Day

• To sensitize the public about the holistic approach of healthcare and disease prevention
• To propagate the unique strengths of Siddha Medicine
• To integrate Siddha into the mainstream of healthcare
• To equip the students, faculty members and practitioners of Siddha for providing standard care
• To harness the potential of Siddha to incorporate into National Health Policy & National Health Programs

Siddha Day 2023

The seventh Siddha Day is celebrated on 30th December 2023. The theme for Siddha Day is Ancient Wisdom and Modern Solutions.

“Food is Medicine; Medicine is Food” is one of the core doctrines mentioned in Siddha classics for healthy life. This maxim acknowledges the emphasis laid by Siddhars on healthy eating and the nutritional importance of a balanced diet. Siddha Medicine describes the significance of balancing food (Thirithoda) ingredients namely pepper, turmeric, cumin seeds, asafoetida, dried ginger, cardamom, fenugreek and garlic maintain the homeostasis between the three humours namely Vali, Azhal and Aiyam. Siddhar Theraiyar has mentioned few dietary principles to be followed as a prophylactic measure for leading a healthy life. Example: “Always consume sour curd, never eat root tubers except yam, take meals twice a day instead of thrice daily, and take diluted buttermilk and melted ghee”.

Source : Central Council for Reseach in Siddha

Related resources

• Healthy traditional recipes
• Siddha tips for common diseases