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Turban (Sikhism)
Encyclopedia
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
and is an important part of the Sikh culture. Wearing a Sikh turban is mandatory for all Amritdhari (baptized) Sikhs (also known as Khalsa
Khalsa
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).
Among the Sikhs, the turban is an article of faith that represents honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa
Khalsa
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Sikhs, who adorn the Five Ks, wear the turban partly to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh
Kesh (Sikhism)
In Sikhism, Kesh is the practice of allowing one's hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation. The practice is one of the Five Ks, the outward symbols ordered by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as a means to profess the Sikh faith...
). The turban is mostly identified with the Sikh males, although some Sikh women also wear turban. The Khalsa Sikhs regard the turban as an important part of the unique Sikh identity. They are easily recognizable by their distinctive turbans.
History
The turban has been an important part of the Sikh religion since the time of the First Guru. Guru Angad DevGuru Angad Dev
Guru Angad Dev Ji was the second of the ten Sikh Gurus. He was born in the village of Sarae Naga in Muktsar district in Punjab, on 31 March 1504 and given the name Lehna shortly after his birth as was the custom of his Hindu parents. He was the son of a small successful trader named Pheru Mal...
honoured Guru Amar Das ji with a special turban when he was declared the next Guru. At the time when Guru Ram Das
Guru Ram Das
Guru Ram Das was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 30 August 1574.-Early life:Ram Das was born in Lahore, Punjab on 24 September 1534[1] to a Sodhi family of the Khatri clan. His father was Hari Das and his mother Anup Devi. His wife was Bibi Bhani,...
passed away, Guru Arjan Dev
Guru Arjan Dev
Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in Goindval, Punjab, India, the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. He became the Guru of the Sikhs on 1 September 1581 after the death of his father Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan died in...
was honoured with the turban of Guruship.
- Marne di pag Pirthiye badhi. Guriyaee pag Arjan Ladhi
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
, the last human Sikh Guru, wrote:
- Kangha dono vaqt kar, paag chune kar bandhai. ("Comb your hair twice a day and tie your turban carefully, turn by turn.")
Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu, one of the earliest Sikh historians, wrote in Sri Gur Panth Parkash:
- Doi vele utth bandhyo dastare, paharPaharPahar , which is more commonly pronounced Peher, is a traditional unit of time used in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. In India, the measure is primarily used in North India. One pahar nominally equals three hours, and there are eight pahars in a day.-Etymology:The word pahar/peher literally...
aatth rakhyo shastar sambhare - Kesan ki kijo pritpal, nah(i) ustran se katyo vaal
- Tie your turban twice a day and wear shaster (weapons to protect dharma), and keep them with care, 24 hours a day.
- Take good care of your hair. Do not cut or damage your hair.
Significance
Spirituality
- The turban is a symbol of spirituality and holiness in Sikhism.
Honour and self-respect
- The turban is also a symbol of honour and self-respect. In the Punjabi culture, those who have selflessly served the community are traditionally honoured with turbans.
Responsibility
- Rasam PagriRasam PagriRasam Pagri or Rasam Dastar is a social ceremony of North India and Pakistan, common to Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, conducted upon the death of the oldest male member in a family, in which the oldest surviving male member of the family ties a turban on his head in the presence of the extended...
("turban ceremony") is a ceremony in North India. Rasam Pagri takes place, when a man passes away and his oldest son takes over the familyFamilyIn human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
responsibilities by tying the turban in front of a large gathering. It signifies that now he has shouldered the responsibility of his father and he is the head of the family.
Piety and moral values
- The turban also signifies piety and purity of mind. In the Punjabi society, the Khalsa Sikhs are considered as protectors of the weak, even among the non-Sikhs. In the older times, the Khalsa warriors moved from village to village at night, during the battles. When they needed a place to hide from the enemy, the womenfolk, who had a very high degree of trust in them used to let them inside their houses. It was a common saying in Punjab: Aye nihang, booha khol de nishang ("The nihangNihangNihang is an armed Sikh order. Early Sikh military history is dominated by the Akali Nihang military order, particularly for many famous military victories won while often heavily outnumbered. The Akali Nihang have historically been held in great affection and respect by Sikhs due the pivotal role...
s are at the door. Dear woman! go ahead open the door without any fear whatsoever.")
Courage
- The Sikh warriors (KhalsaSikh Khalsa ArmyPunjab Army was the military force of the Sikh Empire responsible for land defense from 1801-1849.-Background:...
) wear turban, partly to cover their long hair, which is never cut, as per the wish of their last human Guru, Guru Gobind SinghGuru Gobind SinghGuru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
. There are many references in the Sikh history that describe how Guru Gobind Singh personally tied beautiful dumalas (turbans) on the heads of both his elder sons Ajit SinghSahibzada Ajit SinghSahibzada Ajit Singh was the eldest of Guru Gobind Singh's four sons. His younger brothers were Sahibzada Jujhar Singh, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh. With his three brothers, Sahibzada Ajit Singh carried on a great family tradition: that of attaining the status of one of the...
and Jujhar SinghSahibzada Jujhar SinghSahibzada Jujhar Singh , the second son of Guru Gobind Singh, was born to Mata Jito at Anandpur Sahib on March 14, 1691...
, and how he personally gave them arms, decorated them like bridegrooms, and sent them to the battlefield at Chamkaur Sahib where they both died as martyrs. A saffronSaffronSaffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...
-colored turban is especially identified with courage, sacrifice and martyrdom.
Friendship and relationship
- Pag Vatauni ("exchange of turban") is a Punjabi custom, in which the people exchange turbans with their closest friends. Once they exchange turbans they become friends for life and forge a permanent relationship. They take a solemn pledge to share their joys and sorrows under all circumstances. Exchanging turban is a glue that can bind two individuals or families together for generations.
Sayings
There are many Punjabi idioms and proverbs that describe how important is a turban in one's life. Bhai Gurdas
Bhai Gurdas
Bhai Gurdas was a Punjabi Sikh writer, historian, preacher and religious figure. He was the original scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib and a companion of four of the Sikh Gurus.-Early life:...
writes:
- Tthande khuhu naike pag visar(i) aya sir(i) nangai
- Ghar vich ranna(n) kamlia(n) dhussi liti dekh(i) kudhange
- ("A person, after taking a bath at the well during winter time, forgot his turban at the well and came home bareheaded.
- When the women saw him at home without a turban, they thought someone had died and they started to cry.")
Sign of Sikhism
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
, he/she must look like a guru (wear a turban). Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
stated:
- Khalsa mero roop hai khaas. Khalse me hau karo niwas.
- ("Khalsa is a true picture of mine. I live in Khalsa.")
Maintaining long hair and tying turban is seen as a token of love and obedience of the wishes of Sikh gurus. A quote from Sikhnet::
Styles of turbans
Men's Double Patti (Nok)- This is a very common Sikh turban style. It is very common in Punjab, India. The Nok is a double wide turban. 6 meters of turban cloth are cut in half, then into two 3 meter pieces. They are then sewn together to make it Double wide, thus creating a "Double Patti," or a Nok turban. This turban is larger than most Sikh dastars, but contains fewer wraps around the head.
Chand Tora Dhamala
- This style of turban is generally worn by Nihang Sikhs . This is a warrior style turban meant for going into battle. The "Chand Tora" is a metal symbol consisting of a crescent and a double edged sword symbolising shiva according to various sources such as sikhnet, sarbloh.info nihang.org, it is held in place at the front of the turban by woven chainmail cord tied in a pattern within the turban to protect the head from slashing weapons.
Amritsar Dhamala
- This is the most common Dhamala turban. It consists of:
- one 5 meter piece (Pavo Blue)
- one 11 meter piece any color, commonly sabz (white) and pavo blue. Both pieces are 35 cm wide, and referred to in Amritsar as Dhamala Material.
Basic Dhamala
- This is a very simple and basic Dhamala Sikh turban. This is the most popular turban among young Sikhs of the Akhand Kirtani JathaAkhand Kirtani JathaThe Akhand Kirtani Jatha is a jatha of Sikhs....
and also quite popular among those of Damdami TaksalDamdami TaksalThe Damdami Taksal is a 300 years old educational organization said to have been founded by the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh. According to the Damdami Taksal, it was entrusted with the responsibility of teaching the reading , analysis and recitation of the Sikh scriptures by Guru Gobind...
in countries like America, the United Kingdom and Canada.
General Sikh Turban
- Another common Sikh turban style for men. Unlike the "double patti" turban, the turban is longer and goes 7 times around the head. If you use the "Notai" technique and have a big joora (hair knot), do not make it right in front at your forehead. You will end up tying the turban on the joora, and it will make your turban look very high and big.
Patka/Keski Turban
- This is a common sikh turban among young boys. It is normally used as more of a casual Pugree, or sometimes for sports. Commonly, this is a peela (shade of yellow) coloured turban.
- These are the basic Sikh Pugaree types. Turban theory states that the main pugaree types are starting points, and anyone can invent their own turban styles. But keep in mind the colour, and wrap type, and amount will differentiate the LOS between pugrees, so feel free to play with LOS levels, and increase or decrease your LOS simply by trying Kavi over Peta for example.
In May 2009, The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
reported that British researchers were trying to make a "bulletproof turban" that would allow the Sikhs in the British police to serve in firearms units.
Harassment faced by turban-wearing Sikhs
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
in USA, many turban-wearing Sikhs faced assaults by some Americans who confused them with the Arabs (who were being associated with terrorism). The United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
worked with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) to issue a poster aimed at getting the Americans acquainted with the Sikh turbans.
Conflicts with civil law
In modern times, there have been conflicts between Sikhs – especially those outside India – and laws which conflict with always wearing a turban.Sikh soldiers refused to wear helmets during World War I and World War II. Many Sikhs have refused to remove the turban even in jails. Sikh scholar and social activist Bhai Randhir Singh underwent a fast to be able to wear a turban in prison.
In the UK in 1982, the headmaster of a private school refused to admit an orthodox Sikh as a pupil unless he removed the turban and cut his hair. This led to the long legal battle, Mandla v. Dowell Lee.
In Canada in 1990, the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
ruled that Baltej Singh Dhillon, an RCMP officer, should be allowed to wear a turban while on duty.
In the United States in 2002, Jasjit Singh Jaggi, a Sikh traffic policeman employed with the New York Police Department, was forced to leave his job because he insisted on wearing a turban on duty. He petitioned with the New York Human Rights Commission, and in 2004 a US judge ruled that he should be reinstated.
In France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 2004, the Sikh community protested against the introduction of a law prohibiting the display of any religious symbols in state-run schools. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee urged the French Government to review the bill, stating that the ban would have grave consequences for the Sikhs. The Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
discussed the matter with the French officials, who stated that an exception for turbaned Sikh boys in French public schools was not possible.
In 2007, The Canadian government introduced new procedures for accommodation of Sikhs in regard to passport photos, driver licensing, and other legal licensing. This bill was also supported by the Sikh Council of Canada.
In April 2009, Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi and 2nd Lt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan challenged a U.S. Army order that they remove their turbans and shave their beards. In March 2010, Rattan became the first Sikh to graduate Army Officer School at Fort Sam Houston since the exemption was eliminated in 1984; a waiver was granted for his religion. Kalsi will also attend basic training.
Helmet exemption
In several parts of the world, Sikh riders are exempted from wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle, which cannot be done without removing the turban. These places include IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Malaysia, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
In 2008, Baljinder Badesha, a Sikh man living in Brampton, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, lost a court case in which he challenged a $110 ticket received for wearing a turban instead of a helmet while riding his motorcycle.