Kodungalloor Kochunni Thampuran, a Great Scholar and Ayurvedic Physician

Kerala had given birth to many scholars in the past. These scholars have worked hard to reach the fame of Kerala till the horizons. Kodungalloor Kochunni Thampuran was one of them. Although he is more known as a renowned author in Malayalam and Sanskrit, he was an expert Ayurvedic Physician too.

Ayurveda, the traditional stream of medical science in Kerala is very popular nowadays around the world. There are many excellent doctors and institutions across the world who are practicing Kerala Ayurveda. Now it has been accepted as a medical science that can compete with modern medical science in any manner. Here is a story to prove the excellence of Thampuran in Ayurveda.

Although he was a native of Kodungalloor, he used to stay for more days at the Hill Palace in Triounithura, the capital city of the erstwhile princely state of Kochi. He was regarded as an advisor by the Kochi King and hence it was necessary for him to be there for more effective communication.

On those days, there was a toddy tapper, who was staying near to the palace and was suffering from leprosy. As he could not afford costly treatments, he did not go for it and hence the disease became serious. When it reached almost at the peak stage, he came to know about the presence of Kodungalloor Kochunni Thampuran at Hill Palace. Those were the days when untouchability was prevailing and he was barred from going near Thampuran as he belonged to a lower cast. Hence he sent the request for help through one of Thampuran’s assistants. Hearing it, Thampuran asked him to come inside the palace. As he was an untouchable as per the standards prevailing then, he hesitated to do so. Still, Thampuran forced him to come up and he went. Then Thampuran told him to take fifty seeds of marking nuts everyday in milk. 

Thampuran’s disciples shocked to hear this. The seeds of marking nut are highly poisonous and are being used by the washermen to put marks on the clothes. They use these seeds with high precautions while marking. When a single seed will create a lot of troubles when taken in, thampuran is asking to have fifty such seeds daily.

The toddy tapper expressed his inability to buy milk due to financial problems. Then Thampuran asked him whether he consumes toddy and he told yes. Then Tampuran asked him to have the seeds along with toddy.

Almost forty-one days are over and on the forty-second day, the toddy tapper came in front of the palace. He was completely recovered by that time and was healthier. He presented a bunch of bananas along with cash to Thampuran as a mark of respect. Thampuran accepted the bananas and returned the cash.