Turban (Sikhism) - Significance

Significance

In the Khalsa society, the turban signifies many virtues:

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 Pagri ("turban ceremony") is a ceremony in North India. Rasam Pagri takes place, when a man passes away and his oldest son takes over the family 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 nihangs are at the door. Dear woman! go ahead open the door without any fear whatsoever.")

Courage

The Sikh warriors (Khalsa) wear turban, partly to cover their long hair, which is never cut, as per the wish of their last human Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. 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 Singh and Jujhar Singh, 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 saffron-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 men 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.

Some Sikhs also believe that wearing a turban enables one to command the Agya Chakra, the sixth yogic chakra. Harbhajan Singh Yogi wrote:

Sayings

There are many Punjabi idioms and proverbs that describe how important is a turban in one's life. Bhai Gurdas writes:

Tthande khuhu naike pag visar(i) aya sir(i) nangai

Ghar vich ranna(n) kamlia(n) dhussi liti dekh(i) kudhange

("A man, 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.")