“Nature’s Floating Healer: Medicinal Properties of Agaya Thamarai (Jal Kumbhi)”, MyIndMakers, 2 Sep 2026.
“If you have ever peered into a quiet pond in India, you might have noticed clusters of bright green, floating plants. Known in Hindi as Jal kumbhi and scientifically as Pistia stratiotes, this plant is recognised in traditional Siddha medicine as Agaya Thamarai or Kulir Thamarai or Antharath Thamarai. It grows in clusters as small floating plants with root tufts and leaves that do not have distinct stalks. It is found growing in ponds and pools all over Tamil Nadu. While it may look like simple pond weed, its leaves possess significant medicinal value.
Traditional Siddha Benefits
Agaya Thamarai is highly valued for its cooling properties. The leaves, devoid of true stalks, are the primary medicinal part.
Skin Health: Grinding the leaves and applying the paste externally helps the rapid healing of skin conditions like eczema and persistent sores.
Piles Relief: Applying the leaf paste to the anal region resolves external piles and anal stinging. Additionally, placing the leaves in water, boiling them, and exposing the anal area to the steam for 10 minutes provides relief from piles.
Internal Healing: Extract 25 ml of the leaf juice, insert a heated iron rod or stainless-steel spoon into the juice (Suddhi – purification process). This is called as surasam. Administering it, mixed with a little honey, in the morning and evening for 5 days helps clear chest infections caused by microbes. It also cures urinary issues, piles, dysentery, and cough………….”
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