Vaikkath Pachu Moothathu

Parameswaran Moothathu
Born 1813-14 AD (989 KOLLAM ERA)
Vaikom, Kottayam
Died 1882 AD (1057 KOLLAM ERA)
Occupation Ayurvedic physician, writer, historian, astrologer
Genre Literature
Notable works Hradyapriya, Sukhasadhakam

Vaikathu Paramesvara Sivadvija, popularly known as Vaikath Pachu Moothathu, was a versatile scholar of erstwhile princely state of Travancore. A scholar of Ayurveda, Sanskrit, Malayalam and history, pioneered in writing the first autobiography in Malayalam, established the first institution for learning the traditional Indian medicine, which developed to Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram in the later era. He was a well known Ayurveda Physician, Poet, Astrologer and writer.

Birth and early life

He was born in Vaikom on 25th Edavam 989 Kolla era (1814 AD), present Kottayam district in the erstwhile Travancore state and adopted to the family of Moothathu by name Vattapalli Matom at Suchindrum for doing the rites and rituals of the temple. The family at suchindrum lacked a male child who will be able to perform temple duties as the chief priest. So Pachu Moothathu was adopted there as the male successor to perform the temple duties.Suchindrum and Kanyakumari was a part of the erstwhile Travancore state ruled by the Maharaja of Travancore.The main attraction of the place is the Thanumalayan Temple that is important to both Shaivaites and Vaishnavite sects of Hinduism. The family of Vattapalli Matom is the Tantri of the Suchindrum Thanumalayan temple from where one male member(usually the eldest person)must perform the rites and rituals of the temple.

Learning

Pachu Moothathu learned Ayurveda which is a system of traditional medicine native to India. He was influenced by Vahata's (Vagbhata) Astangahridaya and started learning it.He learned Astangahrdaya in the Kollam Era 1018 (Kanni 2) and completed on the 29th of Thulam 1018 (1843 AD). He wrote Sri Rama Charitram Mahakavyam (1037 KOLLAM ERA), Thiruvitamcore Charitram (narrating the legends and facts up to the 1036 Kollam Era (1861 AD) i.e. up to the period of Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal).Hradyapriya(1040 Kollam Era) 1865 AD and Sukhasadhakam(1057 Kollam Era) 1882 AD are two important works by Sri Pachu Moothathu on Ayurveda and can be considered as a pragmatic commentary of Vahata's Astangahridaya. He insisted in transferring the knowledge of Ayurveda to ordinary people and his book sukhasadhagam is an attempt in this direction. He was the Kottaram vaidyan(Ayurvedic Physician) of erstwhile Travancore state and he was awarded with the Veera Sringala by Maharaja His Highness Ayilyam Thirunal which is preserved at his residence even today.

See also

References

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