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Adastār[a] is an item of headwear associated withSikhism and Sikh culture. The word is loaned fromPersian throughPunjabi. In Persian, the worddastār can refer to any kind ofturban and replaced the original word for turban,dolband (دلبند), from which the English word is derived.
Among the Sikhs, thedastār is an article of faith that represents equality, honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. TheKhalsa Sikh men and women, who keep theFive Ks, wear the turban to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The Sikhs regard thedastār as an important part of the unique Sikh identity. After the ninth Sikh Guru,Tegh Bahadur, was sentenced to death by theMughal emperorAurangzeb,Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru created theKhalsa and gave five articles of faith, one of which is unshorn hair, which thedastār covers.[2]
Thedastār has been an important part of the Sikh religion since the time of the First Guru,Guru Nanak who honoured Guru Angad Dev who honouredGuru Amar Das with a specialdastār when he was declared the next Guru. WhenGuru Ram Das died,Guru Arjan was honoured with thedastār of Guruship.
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 inSri Gur Panth Parkash:[4]
Doi vele utth bandhyo dastare,pahar aatth rakhyo shastar sambhare. Kesan ki kijo pritpal, nah(i) ustran se katyo vaal.("Tie your dastār 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 your hair by blade.)"
According toJvala Singh, theseli topi was worn by the first five Sikh gurus rather than a turban.[5] It was only during the period of the sixth Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind, that the turban gained prominence amongst the Sikhs.[5] Guru Hargobind tied a turban rather than donning the traditional seli topi of the predecessory gurus.[5] Later, the practice of tying a turban became fully tied to Sikhs with the formalization of theKhalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.[5]
The turban is not one of the 5Ks mandated in mainstream Sikhism, rather it has become a tool to help manage one of the actual five Ks,kesh (uncut hair).[6] Rather, the turban was a male-signifier of Sikh identity.[7] As per Purnima Dhava, respect and prestige in 18th century Punjab was tied to both women and turbans, where alliances were made through the exchanging of turbans and offering their womenfolk (daughters) to be wed.[7] Ceremonies associated with the Sikh turban were also male-gendered, such as the turban tying ceremony, known as theRasam Pagri orRasam Dastar, when a patriarch dies and his eldest son takes over the familial responsibilities by tying a turban in front of others.[7] Furthermore, during Sikh wedding ceremonies, such as theAnand Karaj, the male groom will wear a turban, regardless if he does so in his regular life or not.[7] The practice ofSikh women wearing turbans was not historically common.[7]
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In the Khalsa society, the turban signifies many virtues:
There are many Punjabi idioms and proverbs that describe how important adastār is in Sikh's lives.Bhai Gurdas wrote:[8]
"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 hisdastār at the well and came home bareheaded.
When the women saw him at home without adastār, they thought someone had died and they started to cry.")
Thedastār is considered an integral part of the unique Sikh identity. The bare head is not considered appropriate as pergurbani. If a Sikh wants to become one with his/herguru, he/she must look like a guru (wear adastār).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 thedastār is seen as a token of love, obedience of the wishes of Sikh gurus, and acceptance to the Will of God. A quote from Sikhnet:[9]
Thedastār 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 yourdastār, you stand fearlessly as one single person standing out from six billion people. It is a most outstanding act.
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Modern Sikh men mainly wear four kinds of turban: Wattan Wali Turban, Patiala Shahi Turban, UK/Kenyan style and Dumala. The more traditional Turban styles are the Darbara Singh Dummala,Dastar Bunga (the original turban of the Khalsa) and the Puratan Nok Pagg.
The Dastar are closely related toDumalla.
Dastar bunga, or turban fortress in Persian, is a style of turban used by a specific sect within theSikhs, the AkaliNihangs (egoless immortals). As an essential part of their faith the warriors used the turban as a store for their expansive range of weapons.
This was the original Turban of the Khalsa Fauj of the Gurus. The Gurus wore this style during battle and the Mughal style while in peace. The Dastar Bunga is common in the Nihang traditions. The dark blue tunic (chola) and turban (dumalla) surmounted with quoit and dagger were first worn in 1699 at the time of the first Khalsa initiation ceremony of the double-edged sword (khanda-pahul). Next came the turban-flag (farra or farla), which was introduced byGuru Gobind Singh in 1702 during a clash with a Rajput hill king in the vicinity of Anandpur. The Khalsa's battle standard was cut down when its bearer, Akali Man Singh Nihang, fell wounded. Henceforth, the Guru decided that the dark blue flag should be worn as a part of Man Singh's turban, fluttering from its peak should be a yellow loose cloth for as long as its bearer had life in him. It is said[weasel words] that the full magnificence of the Akal-Nihang uniform emerged the following year.[citation needed]
TheBritish Raj mandated all Sikh soldiers in lower ranks tied a single turban (not double-stitched), which was folded instead of stretched as a pooni and wound around the head without a pinch. This style similar to that of which constables of the Punjab Police still tie today. When Sikhs left India to work abroad in Kenya, they took this style with them but adapted it slightly for fashion, shortening the length (5 metres instead of eight) and tucking in the final wrap at an angle which produced a sharp, triangular point above the centrepoint (known as a "Chunj"). They also commonly starched their turbans, allowing them to stay in shape and be re-worn for up to 3 months after tying. When Kenyan Sikhs arrived in the UK during the 1960s and 70s, they continued to tie this style of triangular and starched turban there, making it known as both the UK and Kenyan style turban due to its popularity in both regions.
This is a very commonSikh Turban style and is most common in the Indian state ofPunjab, India. The Nok (meaning point) Dastar is a double wide Dastar. 5 or more meters of the dastar cloth are cut in half then in two or three meter pieces. They are sewn together to make it double wide, thus creating a "double patti" or a nok dastar. This dastar is larger than most Sikh dastars but contains fewer wraps around the head. It is generally divided into two sub-styles: Wattan Wali (wrinkled) and Patiala Shahi (Patiala Royal). Both have the exact same shape, except Patiala Shahi features clear lines (known as "Larrs") on its left side, whereas Wattan Wali replaces these "larrs" with wrinkles instead of clear pleats and is slightly flatter at the front of the turban due to how the fabric is folded to create the wrinkles (as opposed to the pleats in Patiala Shahi turbans creating a more "beaked" look at the front, known as a Nok).[citation needed]
Morni Dastar
Another common Nok style is the Morni Dastar. This is essentially a Patiala Shahi pagg with a very pointed front (Nok) as compared the flatter Patiala Shahi style, and was given the name "Morni" (meaning "peacock" in Punjabi) due to its "beaked" Nok resembling the beak of a peacock. The style often features very clean larhs (lines or layers, typically on the turban's left side) and is very popular amongst younger boys in Punjab due to its elegant, neat and royal appearance.
Bhangra singerInderjit Nikku is famous for his Morni style Dastar and to helped boost its popularity in the early 2000s, as well as other popular singers such asLehmber Hussainpuri andDiljit Dosanjh, whose song "Paggan Pochviyan" (pointed turban) launched him to fame and was written to honour the style.
Chand Tora Dumalla
The Chand ToraDumalla is the style of turban generally worn by Nihang Sikhs. This is a warrior style turban 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 turban by a woven chainmail cord tied in a pattern within the turban to protect the head from slashing weapons. This was not the original battle turban for the Khalsa as the Dastar Bunga was the first.
After theSeptember 11, 2001, attacks in USA, a number ofdastār-wearing Sikhs faced assaults by some Americans who confused them withMuslims, who were being associated with terrorism.[10][11] Due to Sikh turbans resembling theimama turban thatOsama bin Laden wore in his most iconic photo,United States Department of Justice worked with theSikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) to issue a poster aimed at getting Americans acquainted with Sikh turbans.[12]
In modern times, there have been conflicts between Sikhs—especially those outside India—and laws which conflict with always wearing adastār.Sikh soldiers refused to wear helmets during World War I and World War II. Many Sikhs have refused to remove thedastār even in jails. Sikh scholar and social activistBhai Randhir Singh underwent a fast to be able to wear adastār 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 thedastār 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".[13][14]
In Canada in 1990, theSupreme Court of Canada ruled that Baltej Singh Dhillon, aRoyal Canadian Mounted Police officer, should be allowed to wear adastār while on duty. See the case ofGrant 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 hisdastār 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 103Shirish Chotalia, Alberta lawyer, represented the Sikh Society of Calgary, the Alberta Civil Liberties Association, and the Friends of the Sikhs, pro bono.[15]
In the United States in 2002, Jasjit Singh Jaggi, a Sikh traffic policeman employed with theNew York Police Department, was forced to leave his job because he insisted on wearing adastār on duty. He petitioned with the New York Human Rights Commission, and in 2004 a US judge ruled that he should be reinstated.[16]
InFrance in 2004, the Sikh community protested against the introduction of a law prohibiting the display of any religious symbols in state-run schools.[17][18] TheShiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee urged the French Government to review the bill, stating that the ban would have grave consequences for the Sikhs.[19] TheGovernment 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.[20]
In 2007, theCanadian 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.[21] 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.[22]
In Ireland, Ravinder Singh Oberoi applied to become a member of the voluntary police forceGarda Reserve but was not permitted to wear adastār in 2007.[23] 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.[24] But in 2019, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris granted exemptions for uniform alterations based on the Garda uniform code to allow officers from some ethnic communities to wear clothing related to their religion.[23] Oberoi is currently working in the GR as of November 2020.[23]
In 2012 British media reported that aGuardsman of theScots Guards Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar became the first Sikh to guardBuckingham Palace wearing adastār instead of the traditionalbearskin.[25]
Sikh members of theCanadian Armed Forces are permitted to wear thedastār on allorders of dress within the forces, although the unit commander retains the right to order for adjustments should a conflict arise with operational safety.[26] The colour of thedastār for Sikh service members within theCanadian Army, and theRoyal Canadian Air Force are required to match the colours of their unit's headgear. Sikhs serving within theRoyal Canadian Navy are required to wear a whitedastār whenpeaked caps are worn, and a blackdastār when berets are worn. The unit's cap badge must also be worn on thedastār. Additionally, some units in the Canadian Armed Forces add a ribbon matching their regimental colours, worn crossed behind the cap badge and tucked in at the back.
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 thedastār. These places includeIndia,Nepal and the Canadian provinces ofAlberta,British Columbia,Ontario andManitoba.[15] Other places includeMalaysia,[citation needed]Hong Kong,[27]Singapore,[citation needed]Thailand,[citation needed] and theUnited Kingdom.[28] InQueensland, Australia, riders of bicycles and mobility scooters are exempt from wearing an approved helmet, but not motorcyclists.[29][30]
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 adastār instead of a helmet while riding his motorcycle.[15][31][32]
In September 2016 a court inQuebec, Canada, ruled that Sikh truck drivers working at thePort of Montreal must wearhard hats when required for safety reasons, effectively requiring them to remove theirdastār. 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.[33]
Sikh women generally do not wear turbans, apart from members of theAkali-Nihang,AKJ, and3HO sects. However, some mainstream Sikh women inthe diaspora from the second-generation on-wards have started wearing turbans as a means of gender-equality.[34] According to the officialSikh Rehat Maryada, the question of Sikh women wearing turbans is optional and not mandated nor necessarily prescribed.[34]
Modern portraits of the founder of Sikhism, Nanak Dev, show him beturbanned, but historians such as Jvala Singh, at Berkeley, insist that this is a historical misrepresentation. The first five gurus, a succession of prophet-leaders, likely donned theseli topi, a woven cap worn by Hindus and Muslims and associated with humility and spiritual living. The turban, Singh argues, wasn't widely adopted until the time of the sixth guru, Hargobind. Responding to persecution by India's Mughal rulers—and the torture and execution of his father—Hargobind militarized Sikhism. He carried two swords, solicited offerings of arms and horses, and swapped the saintlytopi for the kingly turban. Roughly a century later, in 1699, the tenth guru prohibited baptized Sikhs from cutting their hair, and the turban became enshrined as a martial and spiritual requirement for men.
Media related toDastars at Wikimedia Commons
