Dastar

A Sikh man wearing a dastar to cover his hair

Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, wearing a dastar. The turban is the most recognized symbol of the Sikh community.

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

The Dastaar (A term for turban originally from Muslim Culture of North India ) 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. At the time when Guru Ram Das passed on, Guru Arjun Dev was honoured with the Dastaar of Guruship.

Marne di pag Pirthiye badhi. Guriyaee pag Arjan Ladhi^[1]

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:^[2]

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

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

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 Dastaar is seen as a token of love and obedience of the wishes of Sikh gurus. A quote from Sikhnet:^[4]

Styles of Dastaars

A Sikh boy wearing a Patka

A Sikh boy wearing a Rumal (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. 6 meters of the Dastaar cloth are cut in half, then into two 3 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 dastars, 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 5 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 Jatha and 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 7 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.

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.^[5]

Harassment faced by turban-wearing Sikhs

2004 Poster: Common Sikh Headcoverings

After the September 11, 2001 attacks in USA, a number of Dastaar-wearing Sikhs faced assaults by some Americans who confused them with Muslims, who were being associated with terrorism.^[6][7] The United States Department of Justice worked with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) to issue a poster aimed at getting Americans acquainted with Sikh turbans.^[8]

Conflicts with civil law

Indian troops man a Bren gun during the World War 2, Western Desert Campaign. The Sikh soldier is wearing a Dastaar, his non-Sikh companion is wearing a Brodie steel helmet

In modern times, there have been conflicts between Sikhs – especially those outside India – and laws which conflict with always wearing a Dastaar. Sikh soldiers refused to wear helmets during World War I and World War II. Many Sikhs have refused to remove the Dastaar even in jails. Sikh scholar and social activist Bhai Randhir Singh underwent a fast to be able to wear a Dastaar in prison.

In the UK in 1982, the headmaster of a private school refused to admit an orthodox Sikh as a pupil unless he removed the Dastaar and cut his hair. This led to the long legal battle, Mandla v. Dowell Lee, a case which contributed to the creation of the legal term "ethno-religious".^[9][10]

In Canada in 1990, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Baltej Singh Dhillon, an RCMP officer, should be allowed to wear a Dastaar while on duty. See the case of Grant v. Canada A.G (1995) 125 D.L.R. (4th) 556 (F.C.A.) aff'd (1994) 81 F.T.R. 195 (F.C.T.D.)(Reed J.) where the court said that the Sikh RCMP officer had a constitutional right to wear his Dastaar and that the government’s decision to accommodate him was required to protect freedom of religion:

"The defendants and the intervenors, particularly the able argument of Ms. Chotalia for the Alberta Civil Liberties Association, turn the plaintiffs' argument respecting discrimination on its head. They argue that the Commissioner's decision was designed to prevent discrimination occurring to Khalsa Sikhs. As such they argue that that decision offends none of the provisions of the Charter, indeed that it is required by section 15 of the Charter." para 103 Shirish Chotalia, Alberta lawyer, represented the Sikh Society of Calgary, the Alberta Civil Liberties Association, and the Friends of the Sikhs, pro bono.^[11]

In the United States in 2002, Jasjit Singh Jaggi, a Sikh traffic policeman employed with the New York Police Department, was forced to leave his job because he insisted on wearing a Dastaar on duty. He petitioned with the New York Human Rights Commission, and in 2004 a US judge ruled that he should be reinstated.^[12]

In France in 2004, the Sikh community protested against the introduction of a law prohibiting the display of any religious symbols in state-run schools.^[13][14] The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee urged the French Government to review the bill, stating that the ban would have grave consequences for the Sikhs.^[15] The Government of India discussed the matter with the French officials, who stated that an exception for turbaned Sikh boys in French public schools was not possible.^[16]

In 2007, the Canadian government introduced new procedures for accommodation of Sikhs in regard to passport photos, driver licensing, and other legal licensing. This bill was also supported by the Sikh Council of Canada.

In April 2009, Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi and 2nd Lt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan challenged a U.S. Army order that they remove their turbans and shave their beards.^[17] In March 2010, Rattan became the first Sikh to graduate Army Officer School at Fort Sam Houston since the exemption was eliminated in 1984; a waiver was granted for his religion. Kalsi will also attend basic training.^[18]

In Ireland, Ravinder Singh Oberoi applied to become a member of the Garda (police) Reserve (a voluntary, unpaid position) but was not permitted to wear a Dastar. He unsuccessfully claimed discrimination on grounds of race and religion; the High Court ruled in 2013 on a preliminary issue that he could not claim under employment equality legislation as he was not an employee and was not in vocational training.^[19]

Instances of acceptance

In 2012 British media reported that a Guardsman of the Scots Guards Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar became the first Sikh to guard Buckingham Palace wearing a Dastaar instead of the traditional bearskin.^[20][21]

Helmet exemption

In several parts of the world, Sikh riders are exempted from legal requirements to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle or a bicycle, which cannot be done without removing the Dastaar. These places include India Nepal and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.^[11] Other places include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom^[22] and Queensland, Australia.^[23]

In 2008, Baljinder Badesha, a Sikh man living in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, lost a court case in which he challenged a $110 ticket received for wearing a Dastaar instead of a helmet while riding his motorcycle.^[11][24][25]

In September 2016 a court in Quebec, Canada, ruled that Sikh truck drivers working at the Port of Montreal must wear hard hats when required for safety reasons, effectively requiring them to remove their Dastaar. The judge stated that their safety outweighed their religious freedom. Previously Sikh drivers were able to avoid wearing hard hats if they remained within their vehicle, but this increased the loading times and was not commercially acceptable.^[26]

See also

• Kesh (Sikhism)
• Dastar bunga
• Turban training centre

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dastar.

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