Vaidyaratnam P. Sankunni Varier (10 April 1869 – 30 January 1944) was an Ayurveda practitioner from what is now Kerala, India. He is well-regarded as the founder of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, a major Ayurvedic treatment centre in Kerala.
Vaidyaratnam P. S. Varier | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 April 1869 Kottakkal, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India (present day Malappuram, Kerala, India) |
| Died | 30 January 1944 (aged 74) |
| Occupations |
|
| Awards | Vaidyaratnam |
Life and career
editPanniyampally Sankunni Varier was born in 1869 in Kottakkal in erstwhile Malabar district in Madras Presidency. His parents were Marayamangalam Rama Varier and Panniyampally Kunjukutti Varasyar. He was the eldest son of his parents.
Young Sankunni started his lessons in Ayurveda under the classical Gurukula system from Kuttanchery Vasudevan Moos, a Brahmin who belonged to one of the eight families of Ayurvedic practitioner in Kerala, the ashtavaidyans, in the year 1886 as a seventeen-year-old.[1] He also acquired proficiency in the practice of Allopathy.[2]
In 1902, Varier founded Arya Vaidya Sala for the manufacture and sale of ayurvedic medicines which later became synonymous with ayurvedic treatment in India. The Pathshala established in 1917 has now become an Ayurveda College affiliated to Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS).
The Group now comprises:[3]
- 5 hospitals with 20 branches
- 1200 authorized medicine dealerships
- 3 Medicine factories
- Ayurveda Medical College
- 200 acres of Herbal Garden
- Research & Development Centre
- Publication Department
Varier is credited with pioneering the practice of manufacturing ayurvedic medicines.[4] He also wrote textbooks for students of Ayurveda. One of them, Ashtangasariram, won a certificate in 1932 from the National Organisation of Physicians. He was an art connoisseur and founded a drama troupe which was developed to be the famous Kathakali troupe, P.S.V. Natyasangham.[citation needed]
He died in 1944 at the age of 75.[citation needed] He was succeeded by his nephew P. Madhava Varier, who continued until his death in an aeroplane crash in 1953. Later Arya Vaidya Sala came under his youngest nephew Dr. P. K. Warrier, who continued for 68 years until his death in 2021, aged 100. Now, it is managed by Dr. P. Madhavankurry Varrier, his grand-nephew.
Major awards and Recognitions
edit
In 1933, in recognition of his services to humanity, P. S. Varier was conferred the title of 'Vaidyaratna' by Viceroy and Governor-General of British India.[2] The Government of India has issued a postage stamp in his honour bearing his image.
References
edit- ^ "A Life of Healing (A Biography of Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier)". Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ a b mail at aryavaidyasala dot com. ": ARYA VAIDYA SALA - Kottakkal :". aryavaidyasala.com. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ "KOTTAKKAL AYURVEDIC CENTRE: Kottakkal Ayurvedic Center bahrain,Oman,Muscat | ayurveda bahrain,Oman,Muscat| ayurvedic bahrain,Oman,Muscat | ayurvedic treatment bahrain,Oman,Muscat | panchakarma Bahrain,Oman,Muscat | Uzhichil Bahrain,Oman,Muscat". kottakkalayurvediccentre.com. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ Zarrilly, P. (1984). The Kathakali Complex: Performance & Structure. Abhinav Publications. pp. 3–276. ISBN 9788170171874. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
External links
edit- A Life of Healing (A Biography of Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier) at the Wayback Machine (archived 29 January 2011)
- Arya Vaidya Sala Web Site
- Write up on Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala
- Ayurveda Medical College Web Site
- Documentary on Arya Vaidya Sala in Malayalam - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuPbz-etmMI