Location: Nagar Kovil (Paruththithurai)
Date: 07.03.2025
Organized by: Department of Gunapadam, Faculty of Siddha Medicine
A field visit was organized for second-year BSMS students to the Nagar Kovil area in Paruththithurai on 7th March 2025, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, as part of the Mooligaiyeyal – II curriculum. The purpose of this academic excursion was to provide students with hands-on experience in the identification and study of medicinal plants, with a focus on those found in mangrove ecosystems.
The visit was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Mrs. V. Sathyaseelan, Dr. Mrs. N. Nithyakumar, and temporary demonstrators from the Department of Gunapadam. During the visit, students actively engaged in identifying and documenting a wide range of herbs and medicinal plants, noting their Siddha names, botanical names, and therapeutic properties.
The program also included in-depth discussions on the ecological importance of mangrove habitats and the adaptive features of plants thriving in saline and waterlogged environments. A total of 186 medicinal plant species were identified during the visit. Among these, several rare and regionally endemic species such as Kadatsangan, Birami, Karandhai, Umiri, Kaliththi, Mulnilavu, and Sivanar Vembu were closely examined and studied.
This field visit significantly enhanced students’ knowledge of medicinal botany and reinforced the critical importance of biodiversity conservation. It served as a valuable opportunity to bridge theoretical learning with practical application, successfully achieving the academic objectives of the course.
