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Why Sikhs
Wear a Turban
The
dastaar, as the Sikh turban is known, is
an article of faith that has been made
mandatory by the founders of Sikhism. It
is not to be regarded as mere cultural
paraphernalia.
When a
Sikh man or woman dons a turban, the
turban ceases to be just a piece of
cloth and becomes one and the same with
the Sikh's head. The turban as well as
the other articles of faith worn by
Sikhs have an immense spiritual as well
as temporal significance. The symbolisms
of wearing a turban are many from it
being regarded as a symbol of
sovereignty, dedication, self-respect,
courage and piety but the reason all
practicing Sikhs wear the turban is just
one - out of love and obedience of the
wishes of the founders of their faith.
The
turban's importance can be found in just
about every culture and religion,
starting with the ancient Babylonians to
western religions such as Judiaism,
Christianity, and Islam, as well as
eastern traditions. The Old Testament
proclaims, "Once they enter the gates of
the court", implying God's court, "they
are to wear linen vestments. They shall
wear linen turban."
Elsewhere
in the Old Testament, the significance
of the turban is further highlighted:
He put
the turban upon his head and set the
gold rosette as symbol of holy
dedication on the front of the turban as
the Lord had commanded him. Moses then
took the anointing oil, anointed the
Tabernacle, and all that was within it
and consecrated it. (Leviticus 8,9)
Set the
turban on his head and the symbol of
holy dedication on the turban. Take the
anointing oil, pour it on his head and
anoint him. (Exodus 29-6)
The
turban, since ancient times, has been of
significant import in the Punjab, the
land of the five rivers and the
birthplace of Sikhism. There was a time
when only kings, royalty, and those of
high stature wore turbans. Two people
would trade their turbans to show love
or friendship towards each other.
At the
time of Sikhism's birth, the majority of
people in India, and even today,
comprised the lower castes, mainly
composed of peasants, laborers and
servants. Many were literally owned by
the upper castes and were severely
maltreated. The Sikh Gurus
(prophets/teachers) sought to uplift the
downtrodden and make them the equals of
the highest of the high. Guru Nanak, the
founder of the Sikh faith, states in his
divine revelation:
Nanak
seeks the company of the lowest of the
low class, the very lowest of the low.
Why should he try to compete with the
great? Where the lowly are cared for,
there lies the Grace of the Merciful
Bestower.
The Sikh
Gurus sought to end all caste
distinctions and vehemently opposed
stratification of society by any means.
They diligently worked to create an
egalitarian society dedicated to justice
and equality. The turban is certainly a
gift of love from the founders of the
Sikh religion and is symbolic of
sovereignty that is of Divine
concession. According to Sirdar Kapur
Singh, a Sikh theologian and statesman,
"When asked by Captain Murray, the
British Charge-de-affairs at Ludhiana in
about 1830, for the captain's gallant
mind was then wholly preoccupied with
the Doctrine of Legitimacy, recently
evolved or rediscovered by European
statesmen at the Congress at Vienna, as
to from what source the Sikhs derived
their claim to earthly sovereignty, for
the rights of treaty or lawful
succession they had none; Bhai Rattan
Singh Bhangu [a Sikh historian], replied
promptly, 'The Sikhs' right to earthly
sovereignty is based on the Will of God
as authenticated by the Guru, and
therefore, other inferior sanctions are
unnecessary.'" (Parasaraprasna, by Kapur
Singh, Guru Nanak Dev University,
Amritsar, 1989, p. 130-131.)
The
turban has been an integral part of the
Sikh Tradition since the time of Guru
Nanak Dev. Historical accounts relay to
us that all Sikh Gurus wore turbans and
their followers --Sikhs-- have been
wearing them since the formation of the
faith.
The
turban serves as a mark of commitment to
the Sikh Gurus. It distinguishes a Sikh
as an instrument of the Guru and decrees
accountability for certain spiritual and
temporal duties. It is a mark of the
Guru and declares that the Sikh wearing
a turban is a servant of the Divine
Presence.
Wearing
the turban gives much inner strength as
well. Sikhs take this gift of the Guru
with them everywhere they go. Just by
being exposed to this regal quality,
their attitudes and psyche get shaped in
a certain way. At the same time, there
is a great deal of responsibility
accompanied by the turban. A person's
actions are no longer just tied to him
or her. Since Sikhs who wear the turban
represent the Guru, their actions too
reflect on the Guru and the Sikh Nation.
In this sense, the turban serves to
increase a Sikh's commitment to Sikhism
and lends to him or her becoming a more
disciplined and virtuous person.
The
turban certainly deepens the connection
between the Sikh and the Guru. The
turban proclaims the followers of Guru
Nanak as Sikhs but at the same time, it
is not what makes them Sikhs. Prophet
Mohammed in one of his hadiths states
that the turban is a frontier between
faith and unbelief. This aptly describes
the significance of the turban for a
Sikh as well. It is a true mark of
sovereignty and a crown.
Due to
its distinguishable nature, the turban
has often been a target during times of
persecution. There have been times in
the relatively short history of the Sikh
nation that if one wore a turban, it was
reason enough for his or head to be cut
off by the tyrannical regimes of the
time. The collective response of the
Sikh Nation was "You may take off my
head but not my turban." When many
discarded their turbans, those that
proudly adorned them in those times,
even though it meant certain death,
fully appreciated its significance.
After all, it is in times of adversity
that faith is tested and one must prove
true to core values.
By
adorning their turbans, Sikhs serve as
ambassadors of the Sikh faith and commit
externally to following the path laid
down by the Sikh Gurus. True submission,
of course, occurs internally.
The next
time you see a Sikh, greet him or her
and know that the turban you see is the
same turban and stood up against
oppression against those identified as
lower castes in India, tyranny in WWI,
the Nazi empire in WWII. As Sikhs tie
their turbans each day, they should be
heedful that it represents a very real
commitment to the founders of the Sikh
faith. The turban is deeply intertwined
with the Sikh identity and is a
manifestation of the mission given to
all Sikhs - to act as a divine prince or
princess by standing firm against
tyranny and protecting the downtrodden.
Source:
www.sikhcoalition.org
Related Information:
The 5k's
The Sikh Gurus |
