"The turban is our Guru's gift to us. It is how we crown ourselves as the Singhs and Kaurs who sit on the throne of commitment to our own higher consciousness. For men and women alike, this projective identity conveys royalty, grace, and uniqueness."
The Sikh turban, or dastaar, is an essential part of the Sikh religion and should not be considered as merely a cultural embellishment to one's attire.
Although there are allusions to the turban from ancient India and Mesopotamia that date back approximately 4,000 years, no one is certain of its exact roots. On how it should be worn and how it should look, there is little agreement. It can have a peak, a flat top, or even be slanted, and when unfolded, it can measure up to 40 metres in length. It has no particular colour and can be worn freely or tightly around the head. It is a particular type of headgear that is worn in many nations throughout south and central Asia and north and west Africa, each with its own individual style and motivations.
The Sikhs, however, are the ones who have genuinely embraced the turban among all wearers. In order to commemorate Baisakhi, the yearly harvest festival, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th and final human guru of the faith, gathered his disciples in the city of Anandpur in the north Indian state of Punjab in April 1699. Here, he established the Khalsa (the pure), a brotherhood and sisterhood of baptised Sikhs, and he issued several decrees that helped to mould Sikhism into what it is today.
The most important of these was that Sikhs were to uphold five articles of faith, known as the "five Ks" since they all start with the Punjabi letter K. The one that stands out the most is kesh, which involves keeping long hair that is kept in a turban. The other four are kanga, a small wooden comb used to keep uncut hair in place and signifying cleanliness and order, kara, a round steel bracelet representing strength and integrity, kirpan, a ceremonial sword to emphasise martial strength, and kachhera, cotton shorts representing chastity and battle readiness.
But the most recognisable image of Sikhism is kesh adorned with a turban. You must study the history of the religion and the dominant culture of Indian civilization to comprehend why Guru Gobind Singh choose this for his adherents. Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who founded Sikhism and was the preacher of a revolutionary spiritual and temporal doctrine that opposed both Hinduism and Islam, the two main religions of India at the time, was born into a Hindu household in Punjab in 1469. Insisting that there was only one God and that all people were created equal, he particularly railed against the oppressive Hindu caste system.
The turban was already a prestige symbol in India, worn by royalty and the wealthy as well as spiritual gurus like Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (the nine Gurus who followed him all wore them). Long hair was also a recognised sign of holiness and spiritual potency. As a result, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji instructed his followers to wear turbans and never cut their hair in an effort to instill spiritual strength in them and reinforce the notion that they are all noble and equal in the eyes of God. Prior to this time, there was no way to distinguish ordinary Sikhs from Hindus or Muslims.
With an estimated 27 million disciples, the most of whom are from Punjab, Sikhism has grown from such humble origins to become the fifth most popular religion in the world. The UK has 423,000 Sikhs, according to the 2011 census, although there are sizable populations in other nations as well.
When a Sikh wears a turban, it ceases to be distinguishable as a separate piece of clothing and merges with the wearer's head. The turban and other sacred items worn by Sikhs have significant spiritual and historical value. All devoted Sikhs wear the turban for the same purpose: love and obedience. While donning a turban has many symbolic implications, including sovereignty, dedication, self-respect, courage, and piety, it is always worn for this reason.
When you choose to stand out by tying your turban, you stand fearlessly as one single person standing out from six billion people. It is a most outstanding act.
Fascinated enough? Buy turbans from our store. Choose from a wide range of colours suitable for all occassions. We deliver turbans worldwide within 3-5 business days.
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