Medicinal Perspectives on the Flowers Mentioned by Tolkappiyar

Abstract

Nature and natural medicine are inseparably intertwined with human life in Tamil literature. Particularly, the Purathinai poems of Sangam literature portray human life, warfare, heroism, and social values through various elements of nature. Among these, flowers serve as important symbols and identifiers of the Purathinai landscape. Classical Tamil works such as the Tolkappiyam and the Purapporul Verba Mulai record a variety of flowers, ranging from Vetci to Uzhinjai, as symbolic markers of different Purathinai categories. These flowers are significant not only as literary symbols but also as valuable medicinal resources. In Siddha medicine, folk medicine, and other traditional systems of natural healing, they have been widely used in the treatment of various ailments. This study aims to examine the literary significance of the Purathinai flowers described in the Tolkappiyam and the Purapporul Venba Mulai, as well as their medicinal properties and therapeutic applications, based on data collected through textual analysis and field research.