2.7. Pharmaceutical use of Ke艣ar膩ga (Hair dye)

Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India

by Remadevi. O. | 2009 | 54,177 words

This page relates 鈥楶harmaceutical use of Kesharaga (Hair dye)鈥� of the study on cosmetics, costumes and ornaments of ancient India based on Sanskrit sources. Chapter one deals with cosmetics and methods of enhancing beauty; Chapter two deals with costumes, garments and dresses; Chapter three deals with ornaments for humans and animals. Each chapter deals with their respective materials, types, preparation and trade, as prevalent in ancient Indian society.

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2.7. Pharmaceutical use of Ke艣ar膩ga (Hair dye)

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Black hair symbolises youth. It is a natural tendency among the people having grey hair to dye their hair. As mentioned in 叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻^[1], decoration on the body of a man having grey hair is in vein, for such decorations will never shine on his body. Preparation of hair dyes was known to people since ancient times. The earliest reference to hair dyes is perhaps in 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉. N膩van墨taka^[2], a treatise belonging to the 2nd C.AD, describes eleven formulae in twenty seven verses for hair dyes. 叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻^[3] also gives a recipe of hair dye.

Hair dyes were prepared in iron vessels. Sources of ingredients of a hair dye mainly consist of metals, herbs and minerals. Hair dyes were perfumed also. Hence aromatic substances also form part of ingredients of a hair dye. Some commonly used ingredients are Tilataila (Sesame oil), Gorocana (Bezoar), K膩cam膩c墨 (Solanum Nigrum), 狈墨濒颈办腻 (Indigo), 笔颈辫辫补濒墨 (Long pepper), 贬补谤墨迟补办墨 (Chebulic Myrobalan), 膧尘补濒补办补 (Emblic Myrobalan), 碍腻蝉墨蝉补m [碍腻蝉墨蝉补] (Green vitriol-Iron sulphate), K奴rmapitta, 顿补苍迟墨 (Crotonplant -Jatropha Montana), 叠丑峁涐箙驳补谤腻箩补 (Tralingeclipta), 痴颈产丑墨迟补办补 (Belericmyrobalan), 础帽箩补苍补 (Sulphide of lead), 罢谤颈辫丑补濒腻 (Hr墨tak墨, 痴颈产丑墨迟补办补 and 膧尘补濒补办补), Sarpis (Ghee), K膩r峁膩yas (Black iron), K峁Ｄ玶am (Milk), R膩mataru峁嚹� (Sprout of 础艣辞办补), 驰补峁ａ弓颈尘补诲丑耻 (Liquorice), 狈墨濒辞迟辫补濒补 (Blue lily -Nymphala caerulea), 艢膩baraka (White Lodhra), Pi峁囜笉膩rakaphala (Fruit of Vimkakata tree), 笔颈辫辫补濒墨m奴la (Pipper root), 碍腻艣尘补谤墨, A峁囜笉膩k膩r墨 (Egg鈥檚 plant), 艢腻谤颈产腻, 惭补诲补测补苍迟墨 (Henna), 艢uktam (Vinegar), 础帽箩补苍补var峁嘺 karda (Black mud similar to 础帽箩补苍补), Arkapatr膩峁噄 (Leaves of Madder), Alambuka, Tuttham (Calamine, carbonate or sulphate of Zinc), Musta (Nut grass -Cyperus rotundus), Sahadeva (Sida Rhomboidea), Sahacarapatra (Leaf of Sahacara -Justicia Ecbolium), Sahacarakusuma (Flower of Sahacara), Jamboo (Black plum), Kakubhaphalam (Fruit of Arjuna), 痴颈产丑墨迟补办补taila (Oil of 痴颈产丑墨迟补办补), Kakubhakusuma (Flower of Kakubha), C奴taphalamadhya (The seed of Mango fruit), Asanakusuma (Flower of Kino tree), Bisagranthi (Knot on the lotus stalk), Lohac奴r峁嘺 (Powder of iron), Mudga (Phaseolus mungo) and 惭腻峁 (Phaseolus roxburghii). For making hair dyes, 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉^[4] prescribe ingredients like burned conch, 碍补谤补惫墨谤补, 叠墨箩补辫奴谤补办补, Jaggery.

In 搁补驳丑耻惫补峁兣沘^[5] of 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补, we have reference to hair dyes made of 惭补苍补岣ヅ沬濒腻 and 贬补谤颈迟腻濒补.

叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 describes the mode of preparation of a hair dye, as per which the Kodrava grains are cooked in vinegar along with iron dust. The darkening process includes furthermore steps, in which the applied paste should be screened with green leaves for six hours. The same process is repeated with another paste of Myrobalan after washing away the former one. Mention of liquids used for cleansing and removing the bad odour of ingredients used in the hairdye is also made. These liquids include vinegar, clean water, scented oil, bovine urine etc.