The volumes of the Project on the History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization aim at discovering the main aspects of India's heritage and present them in an interrelated way. These volumes, in spite of their unitary look, recognise the difference between the areas of material civilization and those of ideational culture. The project is not being executed by a single group of thinkers and writers who are methodologically uniform or ideologically identical in their commitments. In fact contributions are made by different scholars with different ideological persuasions and methodological approaches. The project is marked by what may be called 'methodological pluralism'. In spite of its primary historical character, this project, both in its conceptualization and execution, has been shaped by many scholars drawn from different disciplines. It is for the first time that an endeavour of such a unique and comprehensive character has been undertaken to study critically a major world civilization like India. The spectrum of this volume encompasses the substantive dimensions of Vedic medicine; Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha systems; a comparative overview of them; yoga; folk-medicine; Indian medicine in the colonial period; an appraisal of Indian pharmaceuticals; traditional knowledge of plants and animals, besides an introductory perspective on traditional medicine. In its twenty-two chapters contributed by experts in their fields, this volume endeavours to present authentic and critical insights into the nature and structure as well as the expanse of medicine in India. It has an extensive bibliography of over eight hundred titles, both primary and secondary, for further studies by those who are interested in Indian medicine. This volume is perhaps the first of its type in providing under one cover practically a complete picture of medicine as developed in India right from the Vedic times.
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