Information Regarding The Sikh Turban

By Kristen Waller


The Sikh turban is properly known as a Dastar. It is probably the one most people think of when it comes to turbans, due to the number of Sikh communities living in the western world. The Sikh Dastar is a beautiful and elegant item of head-wear. There are different colors and types of Dastar which reflect different parts of Sikhism.

The religion began in the 1400s in the Indian state of the Punjab. It was an initial reaction against the caste system of Hinduism, which the Sikhs thought was unfair and did not promote equality. Sikhism contains some aspects of the Islamic religion too.

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that believes in one single god who created the universe. This God is not describable and is not a personification like the God in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The God is only knowable through meditation and other religious practices.

There are roughly 25 million Sikhs in the world and they are spread around the globe. About 70 percent of Sikhs live in the Punjab state in India and Pakistan. The city of Amritsar in India is the capital city of the religion. Here the Harmandir Sahib, otherwise known as the Golden Temple can be visited. Free food s provided to anyone who needs t at the temple no matter which caste or religion. This is an important aspect of the religion as it promotes equality and fairness.

Sikhs worship several consecutive Gurus who pass down wisdom through the generations. The latest Guru made it Mandatory for Sikh men to wear the dastar (Sikh turban) at all times during waking hours. This was done to maintain the identity of Sikhs in India and keep the culture alive.

It is compulsory for all Sikh men to wear their Dastar all the time, except while sleeping. Sikh men do not cut their hair for religious reasons so the Dastar keeps it clean and free from damage. Women may also wear a turban, but it not compulsory for them to do so.

The Dastar comes in a few different colors. This includes, black, white and orange. Many Sikh men will decorate their Dastar with a small weapon to symbolize the soldier saint of Sikhism. A less common turban is known as a Dumalla. This has a Chand Tora on the front, which is a symbol of two swords made of metal and attached with a metal chain-mail cord.

The last Guru can be credited for promoting equality amongst Sikh communities by making the wearing of the Sikh turban mandatory. He did this because previously turbans were only worn by the upper classes. The Guru sought to eradicate class within Sikhism, as well as provide identity to Sikhs in India, where there are many different religions. The turban is worn all over the world by many different cultures and religions, so it is not limited to Sikhism. Do an online search to learn more about turbans around the world.




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