# Can I Wear A Dumalla



## MiniBK (Sep 24, 2014)

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh

Firstly I am new to this site and I would like to thank the owners of this site for giving Sikh's an open forum for discussion. 

I am 41 years old and only started keeping my hair and wearing a Pagg 3 years ago. 

Currently the style of Pagg I am wearing is the typical boat style (attched picture) :black-pargi:  However I really do like the Dumalla style and I was wondering if there was any reason why I could not start to wear my Dastar as a Dumalla rather than the current boat design.    

For your reference I have not taken Amrit at present. 

Thanks Kindly for your replies


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## MiniBK (Sep 24, 2014)

MiniBK said:


> Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh
> 
> Firstly I am new to this site and I would like to thank the owners of this site for giving Sikh's an open forum for discussion.
> 
> ...


Sorry I forgot to attached a sample picture of the way I currently wear my Pagg... See Pic attached


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## Harry Haller (Sep 24, 2014)

MiniBK said:


> Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh
> 
> Firstly I am new to this site and I would like to thank the owners of this site for giving Sikh's an open forum for discussion.
> 
> ...



Personally, I think as long as your heart is Sikh, and you try and live a Sikh way of life, it really does not matter what your turban looks like. 

Different styles do indicate different traits, the turban you are talking about is popular with Nihangs, the east africans sport the streamlined stealth look, punjabis have the boat style, there is a small sect known as the paglas, they come from the district of pagla, and they are actually known for wearing their turbans back to front!


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## Harry Haller (Sep 24, 2014)

and upside down, and sometimes inside out


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## MiniBK (Sep 24, 2014)

harry haller said:


> and upside down, and sometimes inside out



Lol .. Wow upside down, must make it interesting when it starts to rain. 

My main reason for the change is comfort.  I find for me personally the Dumalla feels better on my head.  But I just wanted to check that wearing as a Dumalla didn't make some other statement which I was unsure of.  

I've also found that that slowly  most of the regional styles are no longer set to peoples back grounds, for example, people are supporting the African style more for the way it looks etc etc.  Youngsters tend to like this better than the boat. 

Anyway, like you said what's more important is your relationship with Sikhi & Vaheguru


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Sep 24, 2014)

There is NO RESTRICTION on the dastaar...style, colour, length, pleats, etc etc etc etc...WEAR it like a CROWN. PERIOD.


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## Tejwant Singh (Sep 25, 2014)

MiniBK said:


> Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh
> 
> Firstly I am new to this site and I would like to thank the owners of this site for giving Sikh's an open forum for discussion.
> 
> ...



MiniBK ji,

Guru Fateh.

Welcome to the forum. I can only say from my own expereince. I wear the boat style turban. When my son,Trimaan entered High School, he wanted to wear turban the very first day because he used Patkas before. This was his decision. However, he did not want the boat style but the round one. I tied for him for a couple of days and then he got the hang of it. He has been wearing that ever since. I have a nephew in our family who is born here in the US as Trimaan is. These are the only two in our family that wear Dumallas and many others wear them too while flying or on different occasions. I also wear the same while flying because it is more comfy.

So, please feel free to tie it the way you feel at ease and I would follow Harry ji's suggestion too. 

Regards

Tejwant Singh


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## MiniBK (Sep 26, 2014)

Tejwant Singh said:


> MiniBK ji,
> 
> Guru Fateh.
> 
> ...





Thanks Tejwant and others who have kindly replied

- I am the same to be honest with you.  My Dad and all my uncles wear the boat style, but I think as the younger generation are growing up, they no longer follow the boundaries of Region or Sects to set the design of the Pagg etc etc.  This makes sense to me.  I personally preferred to look of the Dumalla over the boat and then by default I have ended up going this way for comfort.  Today is my first day wearing it this way, so it's all good.


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## Abneet (Sep 27, 2014)

MiniBK said:


> Thanks Tejwant and others who have kindly replied
> 
> - I am the same to be honest with you.  My Dad and all my uncles wear the boat style, but I think as the younger generation are growing up, they no longer follow the boundaries of Region or Sects to set the design of the Pagg etc etc.  This makes sense to me.  I personally preferred to look of the Dumalla over the boat and then by default I have ended up going this way for comfort.  Today is my first day wearing it this way, so it's all good.



if you want to check out different ways how to tie the dumalla to suit you better in the future there are many dumalla tutorials on youtube for all. You can learn easier ways to tie it like I did but just go with what you feel like is the best for you.


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## MiniBK (Sep 29, 2014)

Abneet said:


> if you want to check out different ways how to tie the dumalla to suit you better in the future there are many dumalla tutorials on youtube for all. You can learn easier ways to tie it like I did but just go with what you feel like is the best for you.



Thanks, and that is what I did.  I watched several videos and still do refer to them.  Then made my own style that  best suits me.  I used to practise tying untying 3-5 times after work.  After a week it looked presentable enough and the Friday that just went 26/09/2014 I went live with it (lol).  

Thanks for you your support.


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## Brother Onam (Sep 30, 2014)

Waheguru,
I'm curious if ever someone has compiled a chart illustrating in one place the various Sikh turban styles. This is the first time I've heard the term 'boat-style'. If there is such a chart, I would love for someone to post it here. I remember speaking to a gentleman who said the most common style of turban is 'British' and thus he favours an older style of wrap. 
When I see paintings depicting the gurus, all the turbans are wrapped in a very different way than we see today, so the histories of these styles from different regions and eras would be quite fascinating.:violet-pargi:


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## MiniBK (Oct 1, 2014)

Brother Onam said:


> Waheguru,
> I'm curious if ever someone has compiled a chart illustrating in one place the various Sikh turban styles. This is the first time I've heard the term 'boat-style'. If there is such a chart, I would love for someone to post it here. I remember speaking to a gentleman who said the most common style of turban is 'British' and thus he favours an older style of wrap.
> When I see paintings depicting the gurus, all the turbans are wrapped in a very different way than we see today, so the histories of these styles from different regions and eras would be quite fascinating.:violet-pargi:



I know very little, but from my understanding, wrapping it around like a Dumalla or similar was the original way it was to be worn.  The British Version came about around 1900 with the engineering of the British.  My understanding is that there is actually some science to wrapping it around the head the original way .. but I will let someone more in the know explain that. 

Also Onman, I'm sure the "Boat Style" as I mentioned is a made up term and there probably is a more common name given e.g patiala pagg


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## Harkiran Kaur (Oct 1, 2014)

The style I tie is basically a dumalla (or modified one)... sometimes with a V (I just do the straight across turns starting higher) but sometimes I do them below the point in the V like normal dumalla just depends on my mood! - but I only use 6 meters so it's a small dumalla....I find it's the easiest to do this style and neatest looking one.  In fact most females I know who tie one, usually do dumalla or or modified version of one something like cross between a gol dastar and dumalla. In general I think it suits everyone more than any other style (male and female alike).


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## Inderjeet Kaur (Nov 26, 2014)

I think a turban should be neatly tied so it is pleasant to look at. Remember it is a crown and it should be treated with respect. Beyond that, it's pretty much up to you. I have a friend who invented his own way of tying which isn't showy or odd-looking, just a bit different. :dark-blue-pargi:


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## aristotle (Nov 29, 2014)

Akasha Ji,
Do you wear a smaller patka/cloth beneath the Dumalla or tie it by entwining the cloth with the hair?


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## Harkiran Kaur (Nov 30, 2014)

aristotle said:


> Akasha Ji,
> Do you wear a smaller patka/cloth beneath the Dumalla or tie it by entwining the cloth with the hair?



Due to my hair being extremely thick and frizzy (natural curly) I start by leaning forward, draping one end of the cloth over my head so it hangs a little below my hair and twist it.  Then I coil the twisted hair on my head.  Then flip the rest over so it's in front and start winding around the coiled hair until it is even with my head width and then keep going top downward.  I actually use two layers though.  I have about 6 meters on my head total and to save from having to buy more cloth, I just separate the 6 meters into two pieces lengthways. So both pieces are 6 meters long and dumalla (1/2) width. The second layer I just put over the top and tuck under and then start wrapping the same way. 

If I didn't do the twisting method, my hair would not cooperate enough to even get something on my head haha


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