KINGDOM OF SITHTHARS

As in this series of ‘ancient Tamils and food habits’, so far we have seen about food histories, features, tastes and characteristics and its effect on human beings. However, Siththars gave us the details about: how to take food? when to have food? what are all the foods to be taken? how to treat food as medicine and medicine as food?

Our ancestors strictly followed all the above food habits in their day to day life till the foreign incursion. 

Nowadays with the idea of globalization, it is really distressing that we almost forgot all our rooted habits. In this account, I would like to share some of those forgotten conventions in the upcoming posts. Hence, in today’s post, we will see about the how many time we have to intake food on average per day? And also about the time period for food intake..

Siththar Theraaiyar quoted that two meals per day is highly sufficient. His quote is taken from “Pathaartha Kuna Sinthaamani” which is as follows:

தன்மமி ரண்டேயூண் டப்பிமுக்காற் கொள்ளினினன்

thanmami randaeyoon dappimukkaar kollininan

சின்மதலை காளைகடல் சேர்பருவ-தன்மூகுர்த்த

sinmathalai kaalaikadal saerparuva-thanmookurththa

மொன்றுக்கு ணானகுக்கு ளோதுமிரண் டுக்குளுண்பர்

montrukku naanakukku loathumiran dukkulunpar

நன்றுக்குத் தீயோர் நயந்து

nanrukkuth theeyoar nayanthu

Intake of food in two time slot is generally good for health. In addition to this, if anyone wants to have another meals would start their first meal on a day within 1½ hour from sunrise, Then, the second meal within 6 hour from sunrise and final/third meal within 3 hour from sunset time.  Violating this food habit is generally bad for health.

மூன்றுநான் காறெண்மு கூர்த்தங் களின்முறையே

moonrunaan kaarenmu koorththang kalinmuraiyae

ஞான்றுளுண்ணு மந்த நறுமுணவே-தோன்றுடலுக்

njaanrulunnu mantha narumunavae –thoanrudaluk

கொக்குமித நோயரமு ரோகமுயிர்க் கந்தரஞ்செய்

kokkumitha noayaramu roakamuyirk kantharanjei

விக்குமித மாராய்ந்து விள்

vikkumitha maraainthu vil

Food will cause slight disease if taken within 4 hours from sunrise. If food taken after 6 hours from sunrise, it will cause diseases. If food taken after 3 hours from sunset, it will lead to deadly diseases.

The above noted view of Siththar Theraiyar should be taken under technical research. However, our ancestors followed the above food habits and lived a healthy life.

Let us see about, how to eat food in upcoming post.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

We inferred from our ancestors that, the intaen food of a person solely determines that person’s character. Hence, three different characters are correlated to three types of foods and we have already seen the first two in previous posts. In that series, we are going to see about thamasa food in today’s post.

Let us first see about what is thamasa food? And its characteristics as follows:

Uncontrolled anger, uncontrolled lust, more sleep, vigorous idiocy, instability are the inherent characteristics of thamasa food intakers.

People with the above characteristics are arrogant, madly short tempered, cannot think and judge equally and mostly they will be slave to senses and do silly crimes.

Even our modern science, after various researches accept the fact that the foods plays major role in one’s character and behavior. From the list of foods distinguished under three types, we perceive the type we intaken so far and the character  it imbibes in us, which might lead to personal character upgradation. 

Following are the list of food products characterized under thamasa:

1. Onion

2. White Garlic

3. Drumstick leaf

4. Pasalai leaf

5. Kalavai keerai

6. Aarai keerai

7. Siru keerai

8. Potato

9. Peruvalli kizhangu

10. Radish

11. Siruvalli kizhangu

12. Maravalli kizhangu

13. Drumstick

14. Peerkkai

15. Sword bean

16. Mochai

17. Bottle guard

18. Avarai (a type of bean)

19. Horse gram

20. Red cholam

21. Black cholam

22. Green peas

23. Black-eyed peas

24. Kambu (Pearl millet)

25.Varaku (Kodo millet)

26. Raagi (Finger millet)

27. Boiled rice

28. Brinjal

29. Drumstick flower

30. Eechavellam (Jaggery from Phnix dactoeylifera)

31. Panaivellam (Jaggery from Palmyra)

32. Palmyra candy

33. Kal types (liquour from coconut, palm like trees)

34. Unripen palm fruit

35. Castor oil

36. Paruppu keerai (Chenopodium album)

37. Pulicha keerai (Hibiscus cannabinus)

38. Kaasini keerai

39. Palm fruit

40. Custard apple

41. Pannaik keerai

42. Cashew fruit

43. Buffalo milk

44. Buffalo curd

45. Buffalo butter

46. Buffalo ghee

Till now, we have seen about the ancient Tamilians food habits, types of foods and its character imbibing qualities.

In future, we will see about how to intake these foods and also about its merits and demerits according to Siththar’s view.

Stay tuned!!

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

Our ancestors distinguished the food into three types based on their characteristics. Among the three, we have already seen the first type (satvika food) in previous post. On continuation, we are going to see about rajo food types.

Rajo food will imbibe following list of characteristics on continual intake. The characteristics expected are; briskness, vigour, physical strength, self fanaticism, over confidence, brute force, lust, jealous, anger, psychological outburst, temporal instability, dynamic, enthusiastic and also have a feel of accomplishing any task.

Moreover, the people and society with zeal, supremacy and with aim of achieving something were having this rajo mentality.

Alright!! What are all the foods belong to this rajo group?

Our ancestors differentiated it very well.

Rajo foods:

1. Green chillies

2. Oosi Milakaai (Needle chillies)

3. Unripe lemon

4. Riped lemon

5. Tamarind

6. Fig fruit

7. Aavaram flower

8. Banana flower

9. Aru keerai

10. Red pumpkin leaf

11. Pudhina (Mint)

12. Paara vetrilai (Beetle leaf)

13. Maahali kizhangu

14. Kaara karunai kizhangu

15. Kotti kizhangu

16. Karunai kizhangu

17. Lotus rhizome

18. Siru kizhangu

19. Kalippaakku

20. Mustard oil

21. Milk from buck (vellaadu)

22. Curd from buck

23. Oil from buck

24. Ghee from buck

25. Omum

26. Poppy seed

27. Mixed ghee

28. White pumbkin

29. Red pumpkin

30. Pig snake guard

31. Ladys finger

32.  Snake guard

33. Black cumin

34. Kaattu seeragam

35. Pirappu seeragam

36. Cloves

37. Lavanga pattai

38. Appalak kaaram

39.  Table salt

40. Tamarind

41. Chillies

42. Naai kaduku (A type of mustard seed)

43. Red mustard

44. Small mustard 

45. White mustard

46. Coriander seed

47. Curcuma aromatica

48. Musk

49. Turmeric

50. Cashew nuts

51. Manila

52. Sagital

53. Red gram

54. Pineapple

55. Pomegranate

56. Komati maadhulai (A type of pomegranate)

57. All other food with the feel of hot or alkaline taste in tongue comes under this rajo food category.

All these above listed foods imbibe briskness and acuteness on inhaling persons which provoke and control the feelings of earthly peoples.

Well!! We can see about thamasa foods in upcoming posts.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

Food is highly essential to live. The type of food intaken also determines the character of humans. This character is reflecting in our thoughts, intellect and actions and altogether combinely reflects the living strategy, culture and tradition of human community.

In previous post, we so far discussed that our ancestors distinguished food into  3 types based on their basic character. In this regard, let us see about the satvika food type in this series.

As we all well aware of proverb, ‘too much of anything is good for nothing’.

If the quality, taste and quantity of food are in balance and mediocre, then we can say that food as sathvika food. This food is the basis for giving following good characters in human; serenity, ahimsa (not disturbing other life), being true, austerity, devotion, grace, forgiveness, satisfaction, discipline, not being robber, no back bitting, poise and being happy always. We humans used to get these above characters on eating this satvika type food regularly.

Siththars, yogis, saints, and meditation practitioners used to guide human to intake this type of food.

Food from animals:

1. Pure milk from cow

2. Pure curd from cow

3. Pure butter from cow

4. Pure ghee from cow.

Oil types:

5. Sesame oil

6. Illupai oil (Oil of Bassia longifolia)

7. Coconut oil

8. Pure honey

Crop types:

9. Raw date

10. Date fruit

11. Almond seed

12. Dried coconut

13. Raw edible camphor

14. Saffron flower (Pure)

15. Nutmeg

16. Mace

17. Grapes

18. Aelarisi (type of rice)

19. Sugar-candy

20. Raw brown sugar

21. Jaggery

22. Dried ginger

23. Pepper

24. Long pepper

25. Fenugreek seed

26. Sesame seed

27. Black gram

28. Rice flake

29. Puffed rice

30. Green gram

31. Millets

32. Ginger

33. Tail pepper

34. White pepper

35. Cumin seeds

36. Wheat

37. Barley

38. Raw rice

39. Seeraka samba (edible rice variety)

40. Milaku samba (edible rice variety)

41. Kaar arisi (edible rice variety)

42. Kunrimani samba (edible rice variety)

Vegetables and fruits:

1. Banana fruit (in banana, poovan variety alone is considered to be very good)

2. Monthan banana

3. Pachchai naadan banana

4. Paeyan banana

5. Rasthaali banana

6. Sevvaazhai banana

7. Ven vaazhai banana

8. Malai vaazhai banana  

9. Navarai vaazhai banana

10. Adukku vaazhai banana 

11. Karu vaazhai banana

12. Coleus aromaticos 

13. Tender coconut

14. Rose water

15. Thaalam neer

16. Lotus water

17. Mango (full of nutrients)

18. Guava fruit

19. Jaathi naarthai fruit (variety of citrus)

20. Kozhinji naarthai fruit

21. Kichili fruit 

22. Naartham fruit

23. Black plum

24. Jack fruit

25. Mulai keerai (type of spinach)

26. Manaththakkaali keerai (Black night shade greens)

27. Ponnaam kanni keerai (Alternanthera sessilis)

28. Corainder leafs

29. Fenugreek leafs

30. Chakravarthy keerai

31. Akathi keerai Sesbania grandiflora

32. Akathi flower

33. Neem flower

34. Pasu munnai

35. Poan musuttai

36. Musuttai

37. Curry leaf

38. Thoothulai leaf

39. Vajravalli /pirandai (Cissus quadrangularis)

40. Stem of greens

41. Banana stem

42. Red spinach stem

43. Stem of white spinach

44. Saepanthandu (stem of colocasia)

45. Colocasia

46. Rhizome of lotus

47. Tuber of sweet potato

48. Cococnut

49. Small amla

50. Amla

51. Solanum torvum

52. Cucumis melo var . melo

53. Mango (vegetable)

54. Karaikkaai

55. Jujuba

56. Cucumber

57. Kombu paakal (bitter gourd variety)

58. Mithi paakal – a bitter gourd variety

59. Jack vegetable (early stage of Jack fruit)

60. Mullu kaththirikaai

61. Wood apple

62. Naarthangaai – a citrus variety

63. Kadaara naarthangaai

64. Kozhinji naarthangaai

65. Manaththakkaali fruits

66. Malai sundaikaai

All the above listed food items are satvika type foods. On continuous intake of these above food gives the satvika characters.

Let us see the food items giving rajo character in upcoming post.

Stay tuned.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

After the practice of cooking came into food habit of Tamilians, the significance of taste evolves or made predominant. Our ancestors layout the food habit of having six tastes namely, uppu (saltness), pulippu (fermentation), kaarppu, kasappu (bitterness), thuvarppu (astringent) and inippu (sweetness).  Even nowadays the phrase, “arusuvai unavu” which literally means “food with six tastes” used among people. Arusuvai unavu is nothing but complete balanced diet. Are we really having this above mentioned complete balanced diet (comprising 6 tastes) in our daily life? Definitely NO!! 

We may correlate the taste to the following proverb, “too much of anything is good for nothing”. Any imbalance in the diet due to increase or decrease of any one of the taste in food induces disease in body. Like, completely shutting mouth from particular taste food (say bitter in common) leads to deficiency diseases. Hence, we should keep our eye on complete balanced diet which includes the right composition of all 6 tastes.

How to feel these 6 tastes?

Answers are there for us from our ancestors, which includes procedure to eat which I will discuss in this series.

Let us see, how these tastes influences our life?

Our ancestors used to divide food items into 3 categories based on tastes and they are; satvikaa food; rajo food and thamasa food. As I have already discussed the introductory part of these food types, interested readers can refresh the ideas in the post, Food is life.

The character of humans used to vary according to the these three types of food intaken. Satvika food used to make a calm and serene character, rajo food used to give enthusiastic character and thamasa food gives character for destruction. The food which controls the functionality of body (a composition of five basic elements- panchabootham) also controls the character. It is somewhat weird to belief! Yet that is true.

Let us see about the three types of food and its composition in upcoming posts.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

Than focusing on blind question of where they lived, we can put it as whole Tamil community had spread and lived in five types of lands. It might be true that initially, they survived on meat and lived life as hunters however, when they used to identify river and valley based civilization they become civilized and then they had included fruits and rhizome in their foods which are inferred from ancient notes.

From the book named Tholkaappiyam, we got the following information that Tamil community had their shelter and food in five types of land surfaces. The food items named moongil arisi (bamboo rice), thinai (a cereal), and honey plays major role in kurinji landscape which are predominantly mountain based areas. Saamai and varagu are main food items of mullai landscape which is predominantly forest based. Regarding cultivable land based marutham landscape; brown rice and white rice are predominant food. In water based neithal landscape, water based foods like fish is dominant.

Apart from this, usage of milk, curd, buttermilk, butter, ghee, cheese, paneer from their owned cattle’s are also in the referrences.

At very early stage, steaming, boiling, and frying were their cooking methods. In later period, they used ghee to fry their food items. We also have a poem with an evidence that frying of meat using ghee along with pepper.

Rice is the predominant food among Tamilians, where they used raw rice as well as, boiled rice (puzhungkal rice) that we are using nowadays. However, it is necessary to quote that, almost all the ancient rice varieties are extinguished. In ancient days, they used varieties to cook and had rice along with kuzhambu, koottu and poriyal.

It is a unique pride that Tamilans used leaves as plates which is still in practice. They used lotus leaf, banana leaf, manthaarai leaf for this purpose and they used to have food in group which is inferred from quotes, “சிறுஞ்சோற்று நிலை (Sirunjoatru nilai)”,  “பெருஞ்சோற்று நிலை (Perunjoatru nilai)”.

They also used to have liquor like drinks named kal (liquid oozing out from coconut/ palm tree) in their food practice. Only after the evolution of bhakthi movement in Tamilnadu, the food practices of other people communities (from various landscapes) coalesced with the former ones. 

Till now, we discussed the ancient food habits of Tamilians. In forthcoming posts, we will see about, how they used food as medicines and vice-versa. 

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

Knowing the food habitat is highly essential for complete historical erudition of each human community. Since, the food habit is the base for their inner character such as thoughts, actions, intellect which in turn influencing the outer personality. I will share the further information through this series.

In olden days, Tamilians used to have raw food out of their hunting which can be inferred from following line of Puranaanooru poem, “பச்சூன் தின்று பைந்நிணம் பெருத்த (pachoon thinru painninam peruththa”. Those peoples, in later period were identified as hunters’ community. Later on the period of using the skin/leather of those hunted animals, there comes the need to preserve and save those skins.

That was the place, where the term cooking (samaiyal) araises. Samaiyal is the word refers to pakkuvapaduthal (processing) or enhancing from one to another form.

They used to dry the animal skin under sunlight to remove excess wetness, which had to be pointed as the first step in cooking. On the continuation, there comes the habit of eating the dried (transformed) meat of animals, which is the well observed practice in today’s society too.

After acquiring the knowledge of fire, they used to have the meats which are heated in fire. This practice can be inferred from the following line of Puranaanooru poem,“கொள்ளி வைத்த கொழு நிணநாற்றம் மறுகுடன் கமழும் (kolli vaiththa kozhu ninanaatram marukudan kamazhum)”.This refers to heating in fire. The place where this heating took place is then termed as adukalai (kitchen). We also use the term ‘aduthal’ to refer the process of cooking.

After started living in open graze land, humans used to prepare thier food. It is the age, where the potteries and metal vessels came into usage. People belong to this period first tried and have the meat baked with water.

From the information gathered from ancient poems, ancient Tamilians used 4 types of stove for baking or cooking food which are listed as follows: முரியடுப்பு (muriyaduppu), ஆடுநனிமறந்த கோடுயர் அடுப்பு (aadu nanimarantha koaduyar aduppu), முடித்தலை அடுப்பு (mudiththalai aduppu),  ஆண்டலை அணங்கடுப்பு (aandalai anangaduppu).

Similary, they named the baking vessels which were inferred from the poems. They are “இருங்கட் குழிசி (irungat kuzhisi)”, “சோறடு குழிசி (soaradu kuzhisi)”, “மேலும் புகர்வாய் குழிசி (maelum pukarvaai kuzhisi)”, “மான்தடி புழுக்கிய புலவுநாறு குழிசி (maanthadi puzhukkiya pulavunaaru kuzhisi)”, “வெண்கோடு தோன்றாக் குழிசி (venkoadu thoanraak kuzhisi)”, “முரவு வாய் ஆடுறு குழிசி (muravu vaai aaduru kuzhisi)” and “அட்டகுழிசி அழற்பயந்தாங்கு attakuzhisi azharpayanthaangku)”.

Very interesting information!!! Isn’t it??

After the conscious of land acquiring and maintenance, people used to manage cattle and feed them by grazing on that land. We can infer from the Puranaanooru poem about the usage of milk, curd and butter, ghee from the cattle’s are used in food of people. That must be time the taste entered in the food.

From the above inference so far acquired, one may easily come to conclusion, Tamilians were basically non-vegetarian. However, in later period, vegetarian food items plays inseparable role in their food habitat.

If they used vegetarian foods, what are they???

Further information in upcoming post.

Stay tuned!!!

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

Apart from history, culture and traditional values, food habit plays an important key role in determining the life style of each specific community. Because humans made up their food habits depends on the climate and their surrounding natural habitats.

Like this, each community in the World has its own cultural identification and grown with their own natural habitat globally over time and still growing. I hope we are all well aware of these facts.

In the Stone Age, tribal communities who survived through time had lived with available food, cloth and shelter. However, they evolved and preserved their food only after their culture started on river beds and they used to occupy their own tribal land. Only after the introduction of fire, they learn to cook and preserve their foods.

The ultimate objective of this post is to clarify and make the reader aware of history of Tamilians food culture which is known to have 6000 year old history. All these information shared here in this regard are collected from the old Tamil poems. It is pity that, out of the 6000 year history, we have information only for the last 1500 years.

Even though, we got the poem of 1500 years, the olden historical happenings before 1500 years was known from sculptures, saasanam and from the folk stories and rest to the guess. However, the information of food habit is very mere and on contrary they are absolutely interesting.

From the poems of Puranaanooru and Perumpaanatrupadai, we came to know the food habit of olden Tamils, as they used to hunt animals and had eaten raw and dried it for after use and then they used to cook and preserve on time run. It becomes lengthy and tedious job to explain all intrinsic details, so that I just left the poem part here.

On other side of hunting practices for food, old Tamil community used to keep cattle’s on open grazing land for food. This we can say as the perfect stage, where they became aware of developing own style of manufacturing and preserving food grains. We also can say this the period, the old Tamils started cooking their food.

What is called cooking? How Tamils used to cook their food?

Further information in upcoming post!!!

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

We people used to have a thought of that, sithars were all Tamils and belong to Hindu religion that too precisely we can say as Saivites. Might it be be true? Can we conceal them within these small credentials?

This post is just the curiousitical outcome of my thinking concerning, what will be the possible outcome when we approached in this path? That’s it.  However, I will not say it as an accurate answer for the above question. But, we may take it as the starting point of the search. I would be grateful to readers to notify me if there is anything wrong about my opinion in this regard.

Most of us believed Siththars are one who has gained wisdom clearing their mind and has realized their oneself. But, actually, this may be the outline explanation for defining Siththars. According to my knowledge, each and every Siththars are unique and are highly well beyond these types of boundarial restrictions. 

The only thing which is common among them is the balanced vision on material world and they are apart from the common beliefs like, caste, tribe, religion, language, rituals. Hence, how can we restrict them to a single language, religion or community?

Sithalogy is one of the highly developed independent culture which has no bounds. Siththars are not only from the background of Hindu religion, there are lots of those highly cultured Siththars identified in various religions too and still believed to be living in this world. Definitely, they are not paranormal persons. However, they are people leading a very simple life. We will come to know them, only when we approach them through open mind without any preoccupancy.

The simple and common mistakes in this path may lead to the identifications like a person against religion and god and get into the just opposite path of atheism. It is to be clarified that, neither Siththars nor similar people from other religion distrusted or rebuffed the belief in god. However, we can say searching the true supremacy in their path might be correct phrase.

The path of searching usually includes understanding of self and surroundings along with realization of their natural existence through which the one can attain the stabilized higher knowledge. This path is structured with the guidance of guru. With the attainment of that higher level, Siththars were representatives of none and they never wanted to prioritize themselves primarily. This state is termed as the divinity.

Siththars used to ignore the religious organization but  will not deny the existence or nature of god. According to Siththar Pattinathaar, those who were not aware of the supremity hidden in oneself are poor.

ஒன்றென்றிரு தெய்வம் உண்டென்றிரு

onrenriru theivam undenriru

ஒன்றாய் உயிராய் உடல்தோறும் நீஇருந்தும்

onraai uyiraai udalthoarum neeirunthum

என்றும் அறியார்கள் ஏழைகள்தாம் பூரணமே

enrum ariyaarkal aezhaikalthaam pooranamae.

Similarly, Siththar Thirumoolar says as below:

அகம் புகுந்தான் அடியேற்கு அருளாலே

akam pukunthaan adiyaerkku arulaalae

அகம் புகுந்தும் தெரியான் அருள் இல்லோர்க்கு

akam pukunthum theriyaan arul illoarkku.

However, Siththar Sivavaakkiyar further noted his intense thought as follows:

கோயில் பள்ளி ஏதடா குறித்துநின்று தேதடா

koayil palli aethadaa kuriththuninru thaethadaa

வாயினால் தொழுதுநின்ற மந்திரங்க ளேதடா

vaayinaal thozhuthuninra manthiranga laethadaa

ஞானமான பள்ளியில் நன்மையாய் வணங்கினால்

jnanamaana palliyil nanmaiyaai vananginaal

காயமான பள்ளியில் காணலா மிறையையே

kaayamaana palliyil kaanalaa miraiyaiyae.

The following poem of Siththar Thirumoolar also abides the same:

உடம்பினை முன்னம் இழுக்கென் றிருந்தேன்

udampinai munnam izukken rirunthaen

உடம்பினுக் குள்ளே யுறுபொருள் கண்டேன்

udampinuk kullae yuruporul kandaen

உடம்புளே உத்தமன் கோயில்கொண் டானென்று

udampullae uththaman koayilkon daanenru

உடம்பினை யானிருந் தோம்புகின்றேனே

udampinai yaanirun thoampukinranae.

All the searches, clarification are the real treasures that we got in the search of survival of man in all part. Saving and eulogize those treasures is the perfect way of honoring them. Accepting love as their prime god and divinity, it will be perfect to call Siththars as people’s representatives rather than religion’s representative who devoted their life to welfare of the people.

Be proud in follow their path of humanitarian and love rather than in path of religion.

Stay tuned!!!

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

The foremost contagious skin disease is ringworm which is a type of mosaic disease. It gets infected in  fontanel, face and in reproductive organs.

The place where this patches occurs become discolored into dark black and causes unstoppable itching sensation. On scratching this patch with the hope of feeling comfortable, it further makes the condition worse than before. The reason is the liquid oozing out of that patch while scratching gets transmitted to skin where and all it touches. Main cause of this disease is due to improper hygienic condition and non-sanity in both dressings and body itself. 

Even though, the recent medical advances put forth many remedial cure for itching, the disease used to hibernate inside on skin and waiting for suitable condition to bloom further. Hence, continual treatment is highly necessary to eradicate this disease completely which is rather a expensive one. Surprisingly, our Siththars put forth many simple cures for this disease, some of which are discussed earlier which may be available in the article, skin infections and solutions.

Let us see a cure for ringworm told by Siththar Theraiyyar in his book titled “Theriayyar Vaakadam”, which is given as follows:

கொன்றைக் கொழுந்து தகரைவிதை குழலா வரைவேர் குளவிந்தம்

konraik kozhunthu thakaraivithai kuzhalaa varaivaer kulavintham

மனறத் துளசி திரிபலையும் மற்று மிலுப்பைப் புண்ணாக்கும்

manarath thulasi thiripalaiyum matru miluppaip punnaakkum

ஒன்றக் கூட்டிப் பழமோரில் ஊறி யெடுத்தெலு மிச்சம்சாற்றில்

onrak koottip pazhamoaril oori yeduthelu michamsaatril

நன்றா யரைத்துப் பூசியிட நாடா படர்தா மரைதானே

nanraa yaraiththup poosiyida naadaa padarthaa maraithaanae.

- தேரையர் (Thaeriayyar)

Collect the equal amount of following ingredients: konrai kozhunthu, thakara vithai, root of caasia auriculata (aavaarai root), basil, turmeric, terminalia chebula (kadukkai), terminalia belerica(thaanrikkai), nelli mulli (dried amla) and mahua oil cake (iluppai pinnaakku) and grind it well. Now, let the powder to soak under old butter milk and grind it well using lemon juice and apply it on the affected areas, which will get cured for sure.

All the above mentioned ingredients are easily available with herbal store and are not expensive too. So, those who are in need can try this natural remedy from home with proper guidance from siddha doctor.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

So far we have seen the information concerning the attainment of saya purusha darshan from previous post.

In this regard, we may obtain enormous information from Bogar’s book, “Bogar 7000”. Moreover, he gave the preparatory information of an ink (mai) for easily achieving this darshan. On giving this information, he shared that this piece of information is once told to him by Siththar Kaalanginathar

பாரேதான் சரநூலாம் பஞ்சபட்சி

paaraethaan saranoolaam panchapatchi

      பாரினிலே மாணாக்கன் பிழைக்கஎன்று

       paarininlae maanakkan pizhaikkaenru

நேரேதான் சாத்திரத்தை பாடிவைத்தார்

naeraethaan saaththiraththai paadivaiththaar

      நீதியுடன் சாயவின் தரிசனத்தை

       neethiyudan saayavin tharisinaththai

சேரேதான் தரிசனத்தை காண்பதற்கு

saeraethaan tharisinaththai kaanpatharkku

      செம்மலுடன் வழிசொன்னார் மைதான்இல்லை

       semmaludan vazhisonnaar maithaanillai

கூரேதான் மையினது மார்க்கம்தன்னை

kooraethaan maiyinathu maarkkamthannai

      கூறினேன் காலங்கி கடாட்சந்தானே

       koorinaen kaalangi kadaatchanthaanae

தானான சித்துமுனி கும்பயோனி

thaanaana sithhtumuni kumbayoni

      தாரணியில் கருவதனை மறைத்தும்போட்டார்

       thaaraniyil karuvathanai maraiththumpoattaar

மானான காலங்கி எந்தன்நாதர்

maanaana kaalangi enthannaathar

      மகாதேவர் கடாட்சமது கிருபையாலே

       makaathaevar kaadatchamathu kirupaiyaalaee

தேனான கருக்குருவை யானும்கற்று

thaenaana karukkuruvai yaanumkatru

      தெளிவாக மாணாக்கர் பிழைக்கஎன்று

       thelivaaka maanakkar pizaikkaenru

பானான சாஸ்திரங்கள் யாவும்பார்த்து

paanaana saasthirangal yaavumpaarththu

      பாருலகில் பாலர்க்குப் பாலித்தேனே

       paarulakil paalarkkup paaliththaenae.

Bogar also told that, all Siththars teaches their students with various books like Saranool,  Panchapatchi, Saaya darshan etc. however, they used to hide the information about this ink (mai) which is essential for getting saaya darshan easily. But, Bogar gave us this precious information by which we can easily infer the uniqueness and the significance of the information.

பாலிப்பேன் இன்னமொரு மார்க்கம்கேளும்

paalippaen innamoru maarkkamkaelum

       பாங்கான புலிப்பாணி மைந்தாகேளு

       paangaana Pulippaani mainthaakaelu

நீலியென்ற கருங்காலி மூலிதானும்

neeliyenra karungaali moolithaanum

       நீட்சியுடன் கண்ணனுட மூலிவேரும்

       neetchiyudan kannanuda moolivaerum

சூலியென்ற நத்தையின் சூரியப்பா

sooliyenra naththaiyin sooriyappaa

       சூரியனார் காந்தியது மூலிவேரும்

      sooriyanaar kaanthiyathu moolivaerum

வேலியென்ற பருத்தியப்பா இருவேலிதானும்

vaeliyenra paruthhtiappa iruvaelithaanum

       வேகமுள்ள கருப்பு ஊமத்தைவேரே

       vaekamulla karuppu oomaththai aerae

வேரான சடையனது மூலிதானும்

vaeraana sadaiyanathu moolithaanum

      வேகமுடன் பொன்னின் ஊமத்தைவேரும்

      vaekamudan ponnin uumaathivaerum

தூரான மையூரின் சிகையும்கூட்டி

thooraana maiyoorin sikaiyumkootti

       துப்புரவாய்த் தான்சுருக்கிப் பொடியத்தாக்கி

       thuppuravaaith thaansurukkip podiyathaakki

சேரான பொடிதனிலே ஐங்கோலத்தைச் 

saeraana podithanilae aingoalaththaich

       செப்பமுடன் தான்உரைத்துச் சொல்லக்கேளு

       seppamudan thaanuraiththuch sollakkaelu

கூரான புழுகுரோசனை யும்சேர்த்து

kooraana puzhukuroasanai yumsaerththu

       குறிப்புடனே மைசேர்த்து அரைத்திடாயே

       kurippudanae maisaerththu araiththidaayae.

சேர்த்துமே பேரண்டந் தன்னில்அப்பா

saerththumae paerandan thannil appaa

       செம்மலுடன் மையதனை பிடித்துக்கொண்டு

       semmaludan maiyathanaip pidiththukkondu

கோர்த்துமே குமரியுடமையும் கூட்டி

koarththumae kumariyudamaiyum kootti

       கொற்றவனே தான் அரைத்துச் சிமிளில்வைத்து

       kotravanae thanaraiththich simililvaiththu

பார்த்துமே நேத்திரமாம் புருவந்தன்னில்

paarththumae naethhtiramaam puruvanthannil

        பாலகனே மைதீட்டி ஆகாயத்தை

        paalakanae maitheetti aakaayaththai

தீர்த்துமே பார்க்கின்ற காலந்தன்னில்

theerththumae paarkkinra kaalanthannil

       திறமுடனே தரிசனம் தெரியும்தானே

       thiramudanae tharisanam theriyumthaanae.

தானான சூரியனை மேகம்தானும்

thaanaana sooriyanai maekamthaanum

       சட்டமுடன் மேகமது மறைந்திட்டாலும்

      sattamudan maekamathu marainthittaalum

பானான மேகமதுக் குள்ளிருக்கும்

paanaana maekamathuk kullirukkum

      பாலகனே சூரியனும் கண்ணில்தோன்றும்

     paalakanae sooriyanum kannilthonrum

மானான சந்திரனைக் காணும்போது

maanaana chanthiranaik kaanumpaothu

      மகத்தான தரிசனையும் கண்ணில்தோற்றும்

     makaththaana tharisanaiyum kannilthoatrum

தேனானதே சொளிவின் மயத்தைபோல

thaenaanathae solivin mayaththippoala

       ஜெகசோதி மின்னல்போல் தோற்றும்பாரே

       jekasoathi minnalpoala thooatrumpaarae.

பாரேதான் மையினால் மேகசாலம்

paaraethaan maiyinaal maekasaalam

      பாங்குடனே கரிசனையும் காணலாகும்

     paangudanae karisanaiyum kaanalaakum

நேரேதான் இக்கருவை சித்தர்தானும்

naeraethaan ikkaruvai siththarthaanum

       நெறிமுறைமை தான்அறிந்து கூறாமல்தான்

      nerimuraimai thaanarinthu kooraamalthaan

சீரேதான் கருக்குருவை மறைத்துவிட்டு

seeraethaan karukkuruvai maraiththuvittu

       சீர்தப்பித் தெரிசனத்தைப் பாடிவைத்தார்

       seerthappith therisanaththai paadivaiththaar

ஆரோதான் எனைப்போல் சொன்னாராப்பா

aaroathaan enaippoal sonnaaraappaa

       அப்பனே உண்மையது உரைத்திட்டோமே

       appanae unmaiyathu uraiththittomae.

Take the equal amount of following ingredients: karungaali, kannai mooli root, naththai soori, root of sunflower, vaelipparuththi, karu oomaththai root, ponnoomaththai root and maiyoor sikai and then cut it all into small pieces like powder.

Now grind this powder with aingoalak karu and add equal amount of punuku and koarosoanai with this grinded mixture and grind it all well. Now put the above paste along with aerandath thailam and kumara mai in kalvam and grind once again and collect it in container.

Now, one can use this mai as thilakam which is usually worn between eyebrows during the period of attaining saaya darshan. Now, one should focus their vision on own shadow and after look into clear blue sky, where we can easily get the saaya purusha darshan.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

The word saayai generally refers to structural shadow and undetached companion. Feeling our own shadow by seeing it is normally termed as saaya darshan. In Indian yogic practice, we may find large number of notes regarding this saaya purusha darshan. Even, our Siththars noted this saaya darshan in their poems. In this regard, let us see a poem of Paththirakiriyaar as follows:

கண்ணின் ஒளி பாய்ந்ததுவும் கருத்தறிந்து கொண்டதுவும்

kannin oli paainthathuthavum karuththarinthu kondathavum

விண்ணின் ஒளி கண்டதவும் வெளிப்படுவதும் எக்காலம்

vinnin oli kanduthavum velippaduvathum ekkaalam

- பத்திரகிரியார் (Paththirakiriyaar)

We used to think, what is specialty in seeing our own shadow which falls on the ground in daylights. However, it is natural doubt too. Nothing is special on seeing the shadow. The specialty lies in the dharsan of our image which is hidden in that shadow. This process of saaya darshan is easy for those who were learning kundalini yokkam.

How to see this saaya tharisanam?

On the day of cloudless morning, in between the period, when the clock roams from 8am to 9 am, turn around in the direction where our shadow falls on the plain land with no ups and downs. Now focus your vision on your fallen shadow when the shadow is of 7 to 9 feet distance. One can see this shadow for about 1 minute to 30 minute without blinking eye. Now after this, one should raise their head upward and should see the clear blue sky. There, the image of our shadow will be seen.

On practicing the above said procedure for 4 - 6 years continuously, one can feel that our shadow works like another active being (saaya purushan) on our side. After this, the so formed saaya purushan, will roam along with us in form of our own being.  It will lay downs when we lie down; it will walk as we walk i.e; it mimics all our actions. It also informs us the future happening whether it is good or bad. It will be similar to one’s own body wisdom.

Those who used to practice this continuously will easily attain all siddhis and they attain the state of seeing the past, present and future happenings. It might be the good psychological practice to obtain and realize the enormous and extraordinary universal power. Some people used to perform this saaya darshan in the full moon light. This is termed as maaya purusha darshan.

Bogar gives us the information of special mai (kohl) to easily achieve and realize this saaya purusha darshan. Splendid!!! Isn’t???

Wait till next post.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

I hope that there is no need of giving introduction on this topic. As the result of this physiological deficiency, person may suffer some psychological problems which cause disturbance in family life in turn leads to even destruction of family.

Living habits, environmental factors and hormone disturbances paves the way for this problem. However there is no proper understanding about this regard in our society. Those who were suffering from this problem will not get out for proper treatment because of their shyness. Hence many fraudulent doctors emerge who gives false hope and thereby earning more money from patients. This is the case happening for long time.

Naturally, the impotence can be divided into two main groups. First cause is, the amount of sperm is low and the second cause is person’s lack of interest or incapability on intercourse. Modern science gives out many remedy for this problem. However all these are highly expensive and moreover, one can get desired result only by cyclic treatment.

Our Siththars have given us many remedial cures for this problem of impotence and they also told that these remedies are easy but would give very good effect. In this regard, let us see one remedial method from “Pulipaani Thirattu” given by Pulipaani Siththar as follows:

பாரப்பா சந்தனமுந் தேற்றான வித்தும்

paarappaa santhanamun thaetraana vithhtum

       பண்பான பூமிசர்க் கரையின் மூலஞ்

       panpaana poomisark karaiyin moolanj

சேரப்பா பூனையென்ற காலி வித்துஞ்

saerappaa poonaiyenra kaali viththunj

      செயலான முருங்கை வேர்ப்பட்டை கூட்டி

       seyalaana murungkai vaerppaattai kootti

கூறப்பா வகைவகைக்கு விராகன் ரெண்டு

koorappaa vakaivakaikku viraakan rendu

       கொற்றவனே தானரைத்து தேங்காய் பாலின்

        kotravanae thaanaraiththu thaenkaai paalin

தீரப்பா சீனி சர்க்கரையும் போட்டுத்

theerappaa seeni sarkக்araiyum pottuth

       திறமாகக் குடிப்பாயீ ராறு நாளாமே

        thiramaakak kudippaayee raaru naalaamae.

ஆமடா குடித்துவரத் தாது புஷ்டி

aamadaa kudithhtuvarath thaathu pushti

       அப்பனே வீரியந்தான் விளையும் போது

        appanae veeriyanthaan vilaiyum poathu

தாமடா சூடுகள்தான் தணியும் பாரு

thaamadaa soodukalthaan thaniyum paaru

        தளதளப்பாய் தேகமது காந்தி யுண்டாம்

         thalathalappaai thaekamathu kaanthi yundaam

வாமடா மங்கையரைப் புணர்ந்தாயானால்

vaamadaa mangkaiyaraip punarnthaa yaanaal

       வளமான மான்மதனோ விவனென் பார்கள்

        valamaana maanmathanaoa vivanaenn paarkal

தாமடா போகருட கடாட்சத் தாலே

thaamadaa Bogaruda kadaatchath thaalae

       நலமாகப் புலிப்பாணி பாடினானே

        nalamaakap Pulipaani paadinaanae.

Take 2 varaakan (8 gram) weight of sandal, thaetraan kottai (Strychnos potatorum), poomi sarkaraik kizhangu, poonaikaali viththu (Mucuna pruriens seed), murungai vaerpaatai (drumstick root bark) and grind it in kalvam using coconut milk. Now, add the considerable amount of seeni sarkarai with this grinded mixture and drink it for 12 days which will increase the thaathu pushti. This will decrease the body heat and also increase the complexion. Moreover, the women who copulate with these men think of him as manmathan*.

As a result of this medicine, the sperm content get increased and also increases interest in love life. All these ingredients are easily available in any herbal store however; the seeni sarkari noted here is unknown to me. Those who are in need can practice this remedy with suitable guidance from appropriate doctors.

Let us see about saaya purusha tharisanam in upcoming post.

*Varaakan – 4 gram 

*Manmadhan – God of human love and desire

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

‘One can see the god in the smile of poor’ is one of the famous quote of Tolstoy which means, when we help poor people with love and affection, it will definitely fill their heart and their gratitude flows in their face as beautiful smile. In that smile, one can see god. In this aspect, the quote of Leo Tolstoy gives out the truth of love to worldly people.

All religion believes in one thing; “love is god”. Even our Thirukural has its one separate topic named “anbudaimai” which depicts the importance of love. It is the gratefulness and pride of our ancestors, who were the first, told the importance of love to world.

Thirumoolar says the significance of love as follows:

“அன்பு சிவம் இரண்டென்பர் அறிவிலார்

anbu sivam irandenpar arivilaar

அன்பே சிவமாவதொரு மறிகிலார்

anpae sivamaavathoru marikilaar.”

- திருமந்திரம் ( Thirumanthiram)

According to Thirumoolar, those who differentiate the love and god are brainless people; love and the blissful state of god are inseparable and he firmly says love is god.

Many people believe that, one can get the gracious blessing of god by tormenting the physical body and through long term meditation by ignoring the thirst and hunger. However Thirumoolar disagrees with the above practices and put forth the easy way of acquiring god’s affection in his poem as follows:

என்பே விறகா இறைச்சி யறுத்திட்டு

enbae virakaa iraichchi yaruththittup

பொன்போல் கனலில் பொரிய வறுப்பினும்

ponpoal kanalil poriya varuppinum

அன்போடு உருகி அகம் குழைவார்க் கன்றி

anboadu uruki akam kuzhaivaark kanri

என்போல் மணியினை எய்த ஒண்ணாதே

enpoal maniyinai eitha onnaathae.

திருமந்திரம் (Thirumanthiram)

One cannot reach the god by tormenting the physical body. However, one can easily reach the blissful state through the unconditional love.

Further, Thirumoolar noted the type of people on whom god shows his graciousness and love which can be inferred from following poem quote as follows:

“கொழுந்து அன்பு செய்து கூரவல்லார்க்கு

kozhunthu anbu seithu kooravallaarkku

மகிழ்ந்து அன்பு செய்யும் அருள் சாது ஆகுமே

makizhnthu anbu seyyum arul saathu aakumae”

- திருமந்திரம் ( Thirumanthiram)

Thirumoolar says that, people who show their care and affection to all type and form of living organism can get the love of god. Showing your care and love on another life is the easy way of getting god’s grace and blessings. 

Nowadays, whole world rejoice the quote of Tolstoy. However, our ancestors told this truth several decades ago, even before Tolstoy. But the fact is how many of us remind their words or walk along the path of their words!?  I will leave this part to reader’s decision itself.

Let us see another new topic in the upcoming post.

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

So far, we have seen the basics and fundamentals of nature of panchabootham in previous posts. In this series, let us see one advanced form of scientifically transformation of one lower category metal to higher category metal. However, I already shared few of the similar transformation in some posts of this blog which can be refreshed via this link, golden magic.

Agathiyar in his book “Agathiyar Paripooranam”, gives out the alchemical transformation procedure of brass to gold. Let us see the concerned poem below:

பதிவாக இன்னமொரு கருமானக்கேள்

pathivaaka innamoru karumaanakkael

பதிவான பிருதிவியை பழச்சாற்றாலே

pathivaana piruththiviyai pazhachchaatraalae

கெதியாய் தானரைத்து மைந்தாகேளு

kethiyaai thaanaraiththu mainthaakaelu

கெணிதமுடன் துருசுவெடி சாரங்கூட்டி

kenithamudan thurusuvedi saarangkootti

மதியான சருகுடனே பூரஞ்சேர்த்து

mathiyaana sarukudanae pooranjaerththu

மைந்தனே பழச்சாற்றா லரைத்துருட்டி

mainthanae pazhachchaatraa laraiththurutti

விதியான பித்தளையை தகடுசெய்து

vithiyaana piththalaiyai thakaduseithu

விரும்பியந்த மருந்ததிலே சேர்த்துமூடே

virumpiyantha marunthathilae saerththumoodae.

சேர்த்துநன்றாய் மூடியபின் மைந்தாகேளு

saerththunanraai moodiyapin mainthaakaelu

சிவசிவா நிதானமுடன் புடத்தைப்போடு

sivasivaa nithaanamudan pudaththaipoadu

பார்த்திபனே புடமாறி யெடுத்துப்பார்த்தால்

paarthipanae pudamaari yeduththuppaarththaal

பத்தியுள்ள பித்தளைதான் செம்பாய்ப்போச்சு

paththiyulla piththalaithaan sempaaiyppoachu

போற்றியந்தச் செம்பதனைப் பதனம்பண்ணி

poatriyanthach sempathanaip pathanampanni

புண்ணியனே வெள்ளிதனில் நாலுக்கொன்று

punniyanae vellithanil naalukkonru

வாத்திமிக்க தாங்கொடு உருக்கிப்பார்க்க

vaaththimikka thaangkodu urukkippaarkka

மயங்காத மகத்தானே பொன்தான்பாரே

mayangkaatha makaththaana ponthaanpaarae.

First take one element which is among the principal element of soil/land and combine this with the fruit juice. Now, add equal amount of copper sulphate, vedisaaram and calomel to the above mixture and grind it well using the required amount of same fruit juice and make small rounded balls.

Now, take the brass sheet and enclose the sheet with the above said round balls. Now it should undergo pudam process (process of burning this enclosed plate in cow dung) and let it cool. Now we can see that, the brass sheet gets transformed into copper sheet. Melt the copper sheet and add the silver to copper in ratio of 1:4 which ultimately results in transformation of copper to gold.

Simplest way!! Isn’t?? However, here some crucial information is hidden like, no explicit information of soil element and type of pudam etc; one can get this missed information from 637th poem of 9th kaandam in another book “Agathiyar 12000”.

This transformation procedure and place of hidden related information revealed here is merely a part of information sharing.  However, much likely information is hidden all over the books. Those who are interested can perform research in this regard.

Highly astonishing!! Isn’t it?

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran

From the previous post we inferred from Siththars thoughts that, earth and all its elemental beings are composition of five basic elements viz, fire, water, air, space and land and altering the composition of one element results in the formation of newer which can be done on one’s own desire. We also have seen that, Agathiyar notes on principal compounds of five basic elements in previous post.

In this series, let us see some more information in this regard.

Agathiyar enlighten us not only with principal compounds but also with the colour of those principal compounds of five basic elements.

ஆமென்ற பஞ்சபூதக் குறிப்பை சொன்னோம்

aamenra panchpoothak kurippai sonnoam

அறையுறோ மதினுடைய நிறந்தான்கேளு

araiyuroa mathinudaiya niranthaankaelu

போமென்ற பிரிதிவியின்றன நிறந்தான்கேளு

poamenra pirithiviyinrana niranthaankaelu

பொன்னிறம்போல் தானிருக்கும் தங்கவர்ணம்

ponnirampoal thaanirukkum thangavarnam

பாமென்ற வப்பினிட நிறந்தான்கேளு

paamenra vappidinida niranthaankaelu

பளிங்குநிறம் போலிருக்கும் பஞ்சவர்ணம்

palinguniram poalirukkum panchavarnam

மானென்ற வக்கினியின் நிறந்தானப்பா

maanaenra vakkiniyin niranthaanappaa

மகத்தான சென்புநிற வர்ணங்காணே

makaththaana senpunira varnangaanae

காணப்பா வாயுவதின் நிறந்தான்கேளு

kaanappaa vaayuvathin niranthaankaelu

காளகண்டமாக ரசப்புகை மேகந்தானே

kaalakandamaaka rasappukai maekanthaanae.

Agathiyar says that the principal compounds depicting soil/land is in golden colour; water is in panchavarna* colour; fire is in copper colour; air is in colour of mist of mercury vapour and finally for space, colour of principal compound cannot be defined.

Let us see the effect of combining one principal element to another principal element as told by agathiyar.

பாரப்பா பிருதிவிதா னப்பைக்கொல்லும்

paarappa piruthivithaa nappaikkollum

பாங்கான அப்பதுதான் தேய்வைக்கொல்லும்

paangaana appathuthaan thaeivaikkollum

நேரப்பா தேய்வுந்தான் வாய்வைக்கொல்லும்

naerappaa thaeivunthaan vaaivaikkkollum

நிலையான வாய்வதுதா னாகசத்தில்

nilaiyaana vaaivathuthaa naakasaththtil

வீரப்பா கொண்டதிலே மடிந்துபோச்சு

veerappaa kondathilae madinthupoachu

வேதாந்த பஞ்சகர்த்தாள் கூத்திதாச்சு

vaethaantha panchakarththaal kooththithaachu

சாரப்பா தன்னறிவாற் சார்ந்துகொண்டு

saarappaa thannarivaar saarnthukondu

சகலகரு வேதைமுகஞ் சார்ந்துபாரே

sakalakaru vaethaimukanj saarnthupaarae.

On combining the principal element of soil to principal element of water, soil element becomes ineffective. Similarly, on combining element of fire to element of air, the air element becomes ineffective. On combining element of air to special element, special element rendered inactive.

Agathiyar also says that, all these information are just a basic and on acquiring in depth knowledge in this series, one can get into the next level of medicinal preparation and alchemy. This post is aimed to bring out our ancestors immense and in-depth knowledge on science to today’s generation.

All these information in this series are collected from the book “Agathiyar Paripooranam”. Any interested readers can do further research in this regard.

We are about to see the practicality information on converting brass into gold in upcoming post.

*Panchavarna - the five colours: white, black, red, yellow and green

Original – www.siththarkal.com

Translated by Lalithambika Rajasekaran