PROSPECTS OF TRADITIONAL THERAPY: CONSUMER’S PERCEPTION AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF RURAL MARKET WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO INDORE DISTRICT

Ayurveda is maintenance and promotion of positive health and cure of diseases through medicine, dietary restrictions and regulated life style. Ayurveda is the name for a comprehensive health care system that began in ancient India. Ayurveda proposes for an omnipresence of basic building blocks of life in the universe suggesting that beginning of synthesis is subject to the availability of optimal conditions.The study was undertaken in the rural market in and around Indore. Questionnaire was administered on 200 adult respondents (119 Males and 81 females), of which 193 valid responses were obtained (107 Males and 86 Females). Research finding about the consumers’ perception regarding the ayurvedic products in rural areas in and around Indore indicated that 68% people use Ayurvedic products and 32% of the people use Homoeopathic and Allopathic products. Findings further showed that the percentage of people using ayurvedic medicine is very less and restricted to only 25% of the whole population. Analysis revealed that there is no significant difference between Male and Female consumers on their experience in using Ayurvedic product. The same data when analysed with respect to the income showed that the experience in the use of ayurvedic product is independent of income effect. Preference for type of therapy showed no effect of Gender or Incomes.