Which of the Indians wears a turban and on what basis is its color and size chosen?

  • Aug 01, 2022
Which of the Indians wears a turban and on what basis is its color and size chosen?

The turban is one of the most famous authentic headdresses, which was inherent in many peoples of the world. Among them, one can safely name the Indians, who often amaze with these bright and rather large headdresses. However, not all of them will wear a turban, and wearing it just won’t work: there are a lot of certain rules that regulate the color and size of this headdress.

A turban in India is not just an original headdress. Photo: o-buddizme.ru
A turban in India is not just an original headdress. /Photo: o-buddizme.ru
A turban in India is not just an original headdress. /Photo: o-buddizme.ru

Despite the fact that it seems to many that the turban is worn by Indians almost everywhere, in reality, it is far from being used by representatives of the Indian people. In fact, turbans are the traditional headdress of one of the national religions of India - Sikhism. Moreover, at the beginning of the formation of this belief, which fell on the 15th-18th centuries, turbans had the right to wear only members of the upper castes, however, Sikhs, who are known for their respect for equality in society, eventually allowed all their people wear it.

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Sikhs are a special group of Indians. /Photo: bigasia.ru
Sikhs are a special group of Indians. /Photo: bigasia.ru

In India, a turban is called differently: for example, in Sanskrit this headdress is called pak, and in the northern part of India, in state of Punjab, where the concentration of the keepers of ancient knowledge, the Sikh caste, is located, the turban is called pagri or pag. There is another, more respectful name for the headdress - dastaar. And the very practice of wearing it appeared due to the need for Sikhs to observe the cache - the tradition of leaving hair intact. The same custom is the explanation why they never cut their hair. Moreover, for a married man with a mustache and beard, going out in public without a turban would be a real shame.

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A Sikh will never leave home without a turban. /Photo: fishki.net
A Sikh will never leave home without a turban. /Photo: fishki.net

The turban is essentially a long piece of cloth that is re-wound daily by a Sikh around his head. However, the Indians who preach Sikhism wear this headdress not only because of customs, but were able to give it practical value. For example, there was a period when gold and jewelry, seals and even documents were kept in turbans. And the main purpose of the turban is still the role of a kind of amulet of the third eye of the owner from other people's unkind looks.

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The color of the turban has a special meaning. /Photo: club-miry.ru
The color of the turban has a special meaning. /Photo: club-miry.ru

The color of the turban and the type of winding of the fabric also matter. For example, members of the Namdhari caste wear a white turban, and they tie it clearly over the forehead, without allowing sharp corners. Baisakhis take out a venomous orange turban to celebrate the spring festival, and at weddings Sikh men wear pink and pale orange headdresses. Representatives of the Akali sect, known for their military affairs, previously wore only black turbans, today they have changed to steel or dark blue. The military, respectively, use khaki turbans, and for everyday wear they choose red, green or yellow shades.

Do you want to know more about India? Then read:
Unknown India: vegetarians, floating post offices and other facts about the mysterious country
Source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/030522/62891/