Abstract

DECODING KHALITYA AND PALITYA IN BṚHATTRAYĪ – A CRITICAL EXPLORATION OF CLASSICAL AYURVEDIC WISDOM

*Richa Chaudhary, Dr. Meena Tandle, Dr. Ved Bushan Maithani

Abstract

Khalitya (hair loss) and Palitya (premature greying) are two distinctive disorders described within the classical Ayurvedic literature concerning the health and appearance of hair. Although these conditions are frequently correlated with modern alopecia and premature canities, their conceptual foundations in the Bṛhattrayī remain dispersed across different textual contexts and require systematic comparative interpretation. The present review aims to critically examine the descriptions of Khalitya and Palitya in the Caraka Saṃhitā, Suśruta Saṃhitā, and Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya, with emphasis on their terminology, etiological factors, pathogenesis, clinical features, and therapeutic principles. A qualitative literary analysis was undertaken using the Bṛhattrayī as primary sources, supported by relevant classical commentaries and selected secondary literature. The collected references were comparatively analysed to identify areas of convergence, divergence, elaboration, and conceptual continuity among the three treatises. Particular attention was given to the role of doṣa, dūṣya, srotas, agni, and local tissue processes in the manifestation of these disorders, while avoiding direct equivalence with contemporary disease entities. The analysis indicates that the classical descriptions provide a multidimensional framework in which hair loss and greying are understood through interacting systemic and local factors rather than as isolated cosmetic abnormalities. Differences in textual emphasis also demonstrate the progressive refinement and synthesis of Ayurvedic knowledge across the Bṛhattrayī. A critical reading of these references may therefore provide a more coherent understanding of Khalitya and Palitya and establish a classical foundation for future interdisciplinary research. Such a synthesis is relevant for preserving textual fidelity while developing clinically meaningful interpretations.

Keywords: Khalitya, Palitya, Bṛhattrayī, Caraka Saṃhitā, Suśruta Saṃhitā, Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya.