Chennai: Union Minister for Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate the 5th Siddha Day celebrations with the theme: ‘Strength of Siddha in communicable disease’, here on December 23.
Ahead of the celebrations, the National Institute of Siddha (NIS), Tambaram Sanatorium, here, organised a series of special Siddha medical camps from December 1, as countdown to the Siddha Day, according to Prof Dr R Meenakumari, on Monday.
The NIS will sensitise the public on the Siddha system of medicine in tackling communicable diseases through a range of activities including webinars and scientific discussions. Apart from organising medical camps, medicinal plants were distributed to the people in Nemili village in association with Siddha medical colleges, she said.
The day is observed in the Tamil month of Margazhi coinciding with the Ayilyam star – the day on which Siddhar Agasthiyar was born – to sensitise the public about the holistic approach of healthcare and disease prevention and also to propagate the unique strengths of Siddha medicine.
Union Minister of State for Ayush and Minister of Women and Child Development Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, and senior officials of the central and state governments will participate in the celebrations which is jointly organised by the Council for Research in Siddha and NIS in association with the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy.