Product usability of utensils used in nasya karma of Sri Lankan indigenous medicine; with special reference to the Gokarna yantra

Abstract

The practice of Sri Lankan Indigenous Medicine is highly acknowledged for its many special benefits with respect to Allopathic (Western) medicine. It is a system of medicine that has one main target; to cure an illness not just temporarily, but from its root itself. Each treatment process has its own unique procedure to follow- from the material (herb) used to its method of preparation to its consumption. But since the knowledge of Sri Lankan indigenous medicine was mainly handed down from generation to generation while jealously guarded from other practitioners, with the decline of certain ancestries, their secret ingredients have sometimes failed to be passed on. One such component lacking information is the usage of containers and utensils. The design of medicinal containers and utensils is an area which needs a special focus, since it deals with many aspects with regard to the human. While the main focus of producers of medical equipment would be the material usage, chemical reactions and enhancement of the medical value, a very important area that is seldom discussed is the product experience and psychology of the user. While the indigenous medical practitioners of Sri Lanka do not appear to have paid conscious attention to the usability of a product, they have been able to last through centuries and also attract a large group of patients, irrespective of the utensils used. This is commonly seen in Panchakarma treatments, especially Nasya Karma (Nasal Instillation). This research aimed to understand the thinking and rational behind the designing and choosing of the utensils in Sri Lankan Nasya Karma and analyze the product psychology and usability aspects in them. The Gokarna Yatra used in Nasya Karma is using both physical and psychological data collected through both quantitative and qualitative methods. The ancient Gokarna Yantra displayed at National Museums in Sri Lanka and those hereditarily used by current practitioners were analyzed during the study. These objects were analyzed in terms of their physical factors under the Form and Aesthetics. The human factors of the products were analyzed under the Attribution of Meaning and Emotional Responses.