In many parts of India, it is believed that kajal wards off evil spirits, which is why a small dot on children's heads is applied every morning—to protect them from the 'evil eye'. ... In modern times, the main purpose of kajal is to accentuate and add definition to the eyes.

The ‘Kajal’ is a very important ancient cosmetic for the eyes. It is an essential eye makeup which has been in tradition from the very olden days. Kajal ancient eye cosmetic is basically a cosmetic for women and girls. But in India it has always been used for infants and children as well. It’s also used on boys too in India. Even now, many tribal men are seen wearing kajal.

In the olden days, kajal was made at home. It served the purpose of eye ointments only. It was used to protect the eyes from various eye infections. Later on, it developed to become an essential part of the makeup kit for females.

The origins of kajal have been found from the Bronze Age around some 4,000 years ago. The Egyptian queens were very fond of cosmetics. Kajal was an essential commodity for them. In ancient times, it was said that the use of kajal or the darkening around the eyes gives protection to the eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. This is one of the reasons why modern glares are made up of dark-colored glasses.

Still today, many mothers in Indian homes put kajal in the infant's eyes. It is believed that kajal strengthens the eyes. It also acts as a powerful agent in warding off the curse of evil eyes of people around the child. So kajal has also been associated with superstitions too.

Kajal is a very strong tradition practiced all over India

The application of kajal has become a fashion statement nowadays. People in the early days used to prepare kajal at home. For this, a clean muslin cloth would be taken which was generally of white color and had to be dipped in a sandalwood decoction.

After that, it had to be dried in places where it was shady. Then a wick was made out of thin muslin cloth and was used to light an earthen lamp filled with castor oil. The fire of the lamp was covered with a brass vessel leaving enough space for the oxygen needed for the lamp.

After burning for the whole night, the soot or the black residue collected on the brass vessel was stored in a clan box. A few drops of ghee (clarified butter) or castor oil were added to it. This was the homemade kohl which is considered to be much better than the chemical kajal available in today’s markets. The homemade kajal is safe for the eyes as all the things used in this kajal have properties that are totally medicinal.