Chemistry of ThirumaN

[Guest guest]

Sreekrishna 's note indicated that ThirumaN is some salt of Calcium . I agree.

Chalk- Clay has many versions. Mostly , they are made of Calcium carbonate,

Sulfates, Oxalates et al in admixture with salts of Magnesium , Barium ,

Strontium et al. For instance the Kimmergidian Chalk belt ( craie a Belemnites

extending from the white Cliffs of Dover in UK across the English channel to

Northern France and there on to Champagne district) is said to contain 50

different kinds of Chalks These Chalks are remains of the cephalopods,

crustaceans and shell fish that lived and died 600 million years ago, when these

regions were covered by sea water.The chalk- clay here is at places 600 feet

deep and drains subsurface water and in dry times releases the moisture held by

them to the vines.Thus their role in draining of moisture , holding it and

releasing it has implications for the ThirumaN, which according to Tradition has

to be worn thick, so that the underlying skin is not seen. Thirunarayanapuram

and regions a round it might have been under the sea in earlier geological times

and the chalk origin might come from that. Geologists specializing in Karnataka

can comment on that better.

 

As indicated by Srteekrishna, calcium salts have important effects on

Circulatory and Brain functions. One can speculate on the Osmosis of Calcium

thru the skin to surface blood vessels - and then on to main arterries- during

the days, months and years of Thiruman wearing Vaishnavites. It can be a

cumilative beneficial effect from the health point of view.

 

We can connect the Calcium effects to Calcium"s role at

large as a Calcium channel blocker used im many modern day drugs such as

Dilitazem, Nifedipine and Verapamil. These drugs thru their Calcium channel

blocking activity gives the benefits of (1) antiarrhthymic (2) anti anginal

(3) stabilizing of regular heart beat (4) control of high blood pressure (5)

increased flow of Oxygen to heart muscle (6) control of sasm of Esophagus (6)

check on Osteomalecia/Ricketts and (7) arrest of Osteoporosis .

 

It is interesting to observe that many of our ancestors and particularly our

revered

Acharyas lived long lives, the Vedic prescribed age of 100 or more. Ramanuja

lived for 120 years; Swami Desikan lived for 101 years. Their dietary

restrictions, Sattvic way of life and observance of daily rituals such as Naama

Dharanam ( Cumulative effect of Calcium) might be factors in it.

 

I doubt that our Thiruman dissolves quickly in acids (HCl, etc) and release

Carbon dioxide since it may be not strictly Calcium Carbonate. In all

probability , it is a Carbonate bound together with Silicates and sulfates. Our

Chemist friends can

establish this analytically.

 

V.Sadagopan