Sikh Dastaar Divas: the meaning of the turban on World Sikh Turban Day

Sikh Dastaar Divas, also called World Sikh Turban Day, is kept on the day before Vaisakhi, when the Khalsa was created in 1699. It celebrates the dastaar, the Sikh turban, and invites people of every background to learn what it means, and sometimes to try one on.

Why Sikhs wear the dastaar

Kes, uncut hair, is the first of the five Ks that Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave the Khalsa, and the dastaar covers and protects it. In the India of the Gurus' time, a turban was worn by kings and nobles, and the low castes were forbidden to wear one. The Gurus gave it to every Sikh, man or woman, as a sign that all are equal and sovereign under the Guru, and as a reminder to live up to that dignity. A Sikh's turban is treated with respect, and tying it each morning is part of the day's discipline.

A visible faith

The dastaar makes a Sikh recognisable anywhere, which the Guru intended: a Sikh could not hide in a crowd and was expected to stand up for those in need. Sikhs have often had to defend the right to wear it, in schools, workplaces and armies, and many have been targeted because of it. Dastaar Divas grew out of efforts by Sikh organisations in the 2000s to build that understanding.

How the day is observed

Gurdwaras and Sikh groups hold turban-tying camps for children and young people, competitions in tying the dastaar, and stalls in public places where anyone can have a turban tied and learn about it. In Punjab many schools and colleges take part.