2.7. Pharmaceutical use of Keśarāga (Hair dye)

Black hair symbolises youth. It is a natural tendency among the people having grey hair to dye their hair. As mentioned in Bṛhatsaṃhitā^[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 Purāṇas. Nāvanītaka^[2], a treatise belonging to the 2nd C.AD, describes eleven formulae in twenty seven verses for hair dyes. Bṛhatsaṃhitā^[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), Kācamācī (Solanum Nigrum), Nīlikā (Indigo), Pippalī (Long pepper), Harītakī (Chebulic Myrobalan), Āmalaka (Emblic Myrobalan), Kāsīsam [Kāsīsa] (Green vitriol-Iron sulphate), Kūrmapitta, Dantī (Crotonplant -Jatropha Montana), Bhṛṅgarāja (Tralingeclipta), Vibhītaka (Belericmyrobalan), Añjana (Sulphide of lead), Triphalā (Hrītakī, Vibhītaka and Āmalaka), Sarpis (Ghee), Kārṣyāyas (Black iron), Kṣīram (Milk), Rāmataruṇī (Sprout of Aśoka), Yaṣṭimadhu (Liquorice), Nīlotpala (Blue lily -Nymphala caerulea), Śābaraka (White Lodhra), Piṇḍārakaphala (Fruit of Vimkakata tree), Pippalīmūla (Pipper root), Kāśmarī, Aṇḍākārī (Egg’s plant), Śāribā, Madayantī (Henna), Śuktam (Vinegar), Añjanavarṇa karda (Black mud similar to Añjana), Arkapatrāṇi (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), Vibhītakataila (Oil of Vibhītaka), Kakubhakusuma (Flower of Kakubha), Cūtaphalamadhya (The seed of Mango fruit), Asanakusuma (Flower of Kino tree), Bisagranthi (Knot on the lotus stalk), Lohacūrṇa (Powder of iron), Mudga (Phaseolus mungo) and Māṣa (Phaseolus roxburghii). For making hair dyes, Purāṇas^[4] prescribe ingredients like burned conch, Karavīra, Bījapūraka, Jaggery.

In Raghuvaṃśa^[5] of Kālidāsa, we have reference to hair dyes made of Manaḥśilā and Haritāla.

Bṛhatsaṃhitā 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.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

LXXVI.1

[2]:

Chapter X.vv.1-27

[3]:

Chapter LXXVII

[4]:

Encyclopedia of Purāṇic Belief (EPB), p.1018

[5]:

XVI.24