Dastar

From  Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Dastaar (Punjabi: ਦਸਤਾਰ, dastāar, from Persian: دستار‎) or pagṛi (Punjabi: ਪਗੜੀ) or pagg (Punjabi: ਪੱਗ), is an item of headgear associated with Sikhism and is an important part of the Sikh culture. Wearing a Sikh dastaar, or turban, is mandatory for all Amritdhari (initiated) Sikh men and women.

Among the Sikhs, the dastaar is an article of faith that represents honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa Sikh men and women, who keep the Five Ks, wear the turban partly to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The Khalsa Sikhs regard the dastaar as an important part of the unique Sikh identity.

History[edit]

The dastaar has been an important part of the Sikh religion since the time of the First Guru. Guru Angad Dev honoured Guru Amar Das with a special dastaar when he was declared the next Guru. When Guru Ram Das died, Guru Arjun Dev was honoured with the dastaar of Guruship.

Marne di pag Pirthiye badhi. Guriyaee pag Arjan Ladhi

Guru Gobind Singh, 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, pahar aatth rakhyo shastar sambhare

Kesan ki kijo pritpal, nah(i) ustran se katyo vaal

Tie your Dastaar 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[edit]

Nihang Abchal Nagar (Nihangs from Hazur Sahib), 1844. Shows turban-wearing Sikh soldiers with chakrams.

In the Khalsa society, the turban signifies many virtues:

Spirituality

The dastaar is a symbol of spirituality and holiness in Sikhism.

Honour and self-respect

The dastaar 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 dastaar 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

Sikhs wear a dastaar, 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 (dastaar) 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 dastaars 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 dastaar in one's life. Bhai Gurdas writes:^[3]

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 Dastaar at the well and came home bareheaded.

When the women saw him at home without a Dastaar, they thought someone had died and they started to cry.")

Sign of Sikhism[edit]

Sikh men are easily recognized by their distinctive turbans.

The Dastaar is considered an important part of the unique Sikh identity. The bare head is not considered appropriate as per gurbani. If a Sikh wants to become one with his/her guru, he/she must look like a guru (wear a dastaar). Guru Gobind Singh 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 the dastaar is seen as a token of love and obedience of the wishes of Sikh gurus. A quote from Sikhnet:

“

The Dastaar 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. It is a signal to others that we live in the image of Infinity and are dedicated to serving all. The turban doesn't represent anything except complete commitment. When you choose to stand out by tying your Dastaar, you stand fearlessly as one single person standing out from six billion people. It is a most outstanding act.

”

Styles of dastaars[edit]

A Sikh boy wearing a patka

A Sikh boy wearing a rumāl (patka)

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 dastaar. Six meters of the dastaar cloth are cut in half, then into two three meter pieces. They are then sewn together to make it double wide, thus creating a "double patti," or a nok dastarr. This dastaar is larger than most Sikh dastaars, but contains fewer wraps around the head.

Chand Tora

This style of turban is generally worn by Nihang Sikh men . This is a warrior style dastaar meant for going into battle. The "Chand Tora" is a metal symbol consisting of a crescent and a double edged sword. It is held in place at the front of the dastaar by woven chainmail cord tied in a pattern within the dastaar to protect the head from slashing weapons.

Amritsar Dhamala

This is the most common Dhamala dastaar. It consists of:

• one five 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 dastaar. This is the most popular turban among young Sikhs of the Akhand Kirtani Jathaand also quite popular among those of Damdami Taksal in countries like America, the United Kingdom and Canada.

General Sikh Dastaar

Another common Sikh dastaar style for men. Unlike the "double patti" dastaar, the dastaar is longer and goes seven 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 dastaar on the joora, and it will make your dastaar look very high and big. According to modern Punjabi style the last (larh) of dastaar is given a "V" shape by using the Dastaar pin. Sikhs also use a specially designed dastaar needle (Punjabi: Salai,ਸਲਾਈ OR Baaj,ਬਾਜ) to tuck their hair inside from dastaar and patka and also to maintain dastaar cleanliness.

Patka/Keski dastaar

This is a common sikh dastaar 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. Contrary to popular belief patkas are actually types of dastaars.

Patiala Shahi turban 

Nowadays this type of dastar is widely famous in boys. This type of dastar was first tied by Patiala King Bhupinder Singh. From his name the name of this type is originated 'Patiala Shahi'.

Morni Pagg

It is a very famous style of turban and is very pointed.

These are the basic Sikh Pugaree types. Turban theory states that the main pugaree types are starting points, and anyone can invent their own Dastaar styles.

Kenyan or UK style turban

This is a common sikh Dastaar among young men in the Sikh Diaspora. It originated in Kenya, hence its name, among the Sikhs there. In 1970s many Kenyan Sikhs migrated to the UK, making it popular there. Its design is very smart and elegant. Famous people like Jus Reign, Raj Grewal, singer Jassi Sidhu wear different variations of this style.

In May 2009, The Times of India 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.