kājal (lamp black)

Ingredients

mustard oil (kaṛve tel), kerosene oil (maṭṭī kā tel)

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Kājal is produced by burning oils, specifically mustard oil (kaṛve tel) or kerosene oil (maṭṭī kā tel) (p. 101). It can be manufactured domestically or purchased as a ready-made commercial product (p. 101).

Evidence

"Kājal can be produced at home by burning mustard oil (kaṛve tel) or kerosene oil (maṭṭī kā tel) but it is also sold ready-made."

Remarks

Lamp black (kājal) was of paramount importance as the primary source of black ink for the printing industry (p. 101). The quality of the resultant printing ink was directly linked to the quality of the kājal and the thoroughness of the grinding process (pisāʾī) (p. 101).