Chittar

Tamil mystic

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June 24, 2026

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The term "Chittar" refers to practitioners of Siddha medicine, a traditional healing system originating in South India and considered one of the oldest in the country. Siddha medicine integrates ancient healing practices with spiritual disciplines, alchemy, and mysticism.1

Siddhars are believed to have received their knowledge from the deity Shiva and focused on preserving and prolonging life by living in accordance with nature. They were unconcerned with social divisions and contributed to medicine, alchemy, and Yogic living. The system is rooted in Tamil culture and is referenced in early Tamil literature. The Chilappatikaram, a Tamil epic, also features a goddess of chastity, Kannaki, who is deified after her husband's unjust death, showcasing elements of Tamil culture and religion.12

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Hinduism
Vernacular literatures
…18th centuries, when the Tamil Chittars (name derived from Sanskrit siddha, “perfected one”), who were eclectic mystics, composed poems noted for the power of their naturalistic diction. The Tamil sense and style of these poems belied the Sanskrit-derived title of their authors, a phenomenon that could stand as a symbol…
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…18th centuries, when the Tamil Chittars (name derived from Sanskrit siddha, “perfected one”), who were eclectic mystics, composed poems noted for the power of their naturalistic diction. The Tamil sense and style of these poems belied the Sanskrit-derived title of their authors, a phenomenon that could stand as a symbol…
Read More