the earliest record of nasal irrigation is found in the ancient hindu practice of indian ayurveda whose roots are traced to the vedas. it was customary to perform jala-neti daily, as part of "soucha" (personal hygiene according to scriptures). "jala-neti", which means to cleanse the nose with water, is an old yogic technique from india. the container used to administer the saline is called a "neti pot". this process removes mucus and dirt and clears the nose. a second neti technique known as "sutra neti" uses a piece of string instead of water.