> Dear SB > Just out of professional curiosity is there any mention in these kalvettukkal and meikeerthikal about the general health and wellbeing...disease patterns of those times?
Quite a bit of info is available in epigraphs but has not been researched properly. It seems only a doctor currently living near london is destined to do a detailed research in the subject and only then we will know all the details :-))
There is a good article on the ayurvedhic medicines prescribed in thanjavore adhura salai - in Thanjai periyakoul nan neeratu vizha malar. Diseases were common - infact even some of the chola kings after rajendra succumbed to diseases. A king as well as his son dies within a year ( forgot his name - I think it was Rajaraja II) and the father - anticipating this death - makes another as the heir apparent. This points to some form of disease because of which the king was able to foresee the impending danger.
Kaanis were offered to doctors/hospitals and these were called vaidhya bhogam.