Kajal is another name for kohl, an eye cosmetic in use since ancient times. Kajal is traditionally made by mixing galena (lead sulfide) and other ingredients, giving it the deep black color. Kohl is an ancient eye cosmetic, traditionally made by grinding stibnite (Sb2S3) for similar purposes to charcoal used in mascara. It is widely used in South Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and parts of West Africa as eyeliner[1] to contour and/or darken the eyelids and as mascara for the eyelashes. It is worn mostly by women, but also by some men and children.
Synonymous with beauty and mystery, Surma (Soorma) Kohl or Kajal have defined and transformed the women’s makeup arena for centuries. A staple cosmetic for almost every women, Kohl or Kajal and Soorma as it is known in India, has held great importance for women of all ages and from all kinds of cultural backgrounds. Regardless of whether a woman knows how to do make up or not, a kohl pencil or kajal has always been a part of enhancing one’s look. With just a few strokes it makes the eyes more charismatic. Kohl has also been used in India as a cosmetic for a long time. In addition, mothers would apply kohl to their infants' eyes soon after birth. Some did this to "strengthen the child's eyes", and others believed it could prevent the child from being cursed by the evil eye.
In South Asia and in particularly India, kohl has several other terms as well, depending on the region, state or language. In Punjabi and Urdu, it is known as ‘Surma’, in Malayalam is it called ‘Kanmashi’, ‘Kaadige in Kannada, in Telugu it is Kaatuka, and in Tamil it is known as Kan Mai. For most Indian women, kohl or kajal is a makeup accessory used to beautify the eyes, however in some cases, it is also used as a dot around the children’s neck in order to protect them from the evil eye. Apart from cultural and religious significance, kohl has always been a predominant part of various Indian dance forms and their attires. Bharatnatyam and Kathakali dancers have since time immemorial used kohl to heavily line their eyes and make them appear larger.
A lot goes into the preparation of a soorma and for centuries the same practice has been followed for the most part. A white, thin muslin cloth is first dipped into sandalwood juice, which is then left to dry in the shade. The cloth is dipped and dried in the sandalwood juice several times throughout the day. Following this procedure, a wick is made out of the cloth which is then used to light a lamp made out of mud and castor oil. A vessel made out of Brass is kept over the lamp with a little wide gap left open in between. The lamp is left burning overnight, and the following day a few drops of ghee or clarified butter are added to the soot left at the bottom of the lamp. This mixture is then placed in a clean and dry box, and is ready to be used.
In today’s day and age however, kohl has been refined and redefined in several ways, and one can easily find ready-made kohl pencils in the market, which come in various styles, as well as colors. One can find kohl in the form of pencils, chubby sticks, powder, gel, and even in liquid forms. The most common form, however, is that of the pencil, which nowadays comes in two styles: the ones that can be sharpened, and the ones that can be twisted in a retractable form. The prices differ according to the brand, and the style.
No comments:
Post a Comment