For many today, a Turban or Dastaar is an accessory to flaunt but for Maninder Singh, it's one of the most powerful symbols of Sikh identity. 13th April is celebrated all over the world as International Turban Day and Maninder is on a mission to educate people and spread awareness about the importance of Turbans.
“The Sikh Turban is a photo series aimed at spreading awareness about different styles of Turbans and the project aims to eradicate several misconceptions which exist globally regarding the Turban,” says Maninder elaborating on the project.
“In ancient times, the turban was worn by the elites of the society and the Sikh gurus rebelled against this system. The Sikh turban, therefore, is an embodiment of teachings that represent the love of the Guru and the sigma to do good deeds. The International Turban Day is celebrated on 13th April because the turban is a gift given to the Sikhs on Vaisakhi (in 1699) by the Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh.”
The project is not just about Sikh teachings and epithets hurled at turban wearers, it is also about how to style incredible turbans and look your menacing best. Here are eight different types of Turbans that will ramp up your personality this International Turban Day:
1. Gurmukhi Dastar
It is usually tied by the religious heads of the Gurudwaras. Before tying this style of turban, it's folded and sometimes ironed to make the turban 4 inch thick and 8-10 meters long.
2. Dabbi Vala Parna
A parna is a smaller round turban often tied using a thicker printed/checkered cloth. It is usually tied by the Sikhs who are into farming. Its length can be 2-5-3.5 meters.
3. Dumalla or Domalla
This is a double length turban of 10 or more meters. It's easy to wear and you can use ornaments to decorate it too.
4. Amritsari Pagg
It's a double wide turban worn commonly in Punjab. To style your turban this way, you need six meters of turban cloth, cut it in half and then sew together both halves together on long edge to make it doublewide.
5. Gol Dastaar
Gol Dastaar is a round shaped turban. It can be styled in three ways – quick, clean or complex. A Gol Dastaar needs five meters of turban cloth cut in half to style.
6. Vadda Dumalla or Domalla (Nihung Singh Style)
This is a warrior style turban which was worn by Sikhs in battle. Shastars (weapons) can also be placed on this kind of turban as it is mostly worn by the Nihung Sikhs of Khalsa Army to protect the head.
7. Vattan Vali Pagg
As the name suggests, Vattan (wrinkle) is tied without cleaning the folds. It can 5-8 meters long and can be tied with Patiala Shahi and Morni turban as well.
8. UK Style Turban
This type of turban is usually tied by the British and African Sikhs who tend to wear smaller, sharper turbans. It can be plain or printed.
While turbans are a sacred part of the Sikh identity, they are worn by many other sects around the world because they convey royalty, grace and uniqueness. This International Turban day let's spread the message of peace and tolerance, one 'pagg' at a time.
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Artist – Maninder Singh (www.houseofsingh.com)
Photographer – Shekhar Mann (www.shekharmann.com)
Photo: © Reuters (Main Image)