# Turban Colour



## leroy (Aug 12, 2005)

WJKWJF


What colour turban is acceptable for a Gursikh? What is the reason?

What is the significance of kesri colour And why?


Can anyone help?

Thanks

Leroy.


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## drkhalsa (Aug 13, 2005)

Dear Leroy

As per my understanding there is hardly any significance of the color of the turban a gursikh should Wear but still there are some color historically assosiated with sikh history like blue color and saffron color but there is no obligation of sikh for any color 

I found an interesting topic on turban which as well discuss about the color of it !!

*Bans and turbans**
A matter of honour*​*The French government’s move to ban the turban has triggered protests from Sikhs across the world. This is not the first time the turban has run into trouble. It has seen some trying times on foreign shores during its long and chequered history. It has stirred opposition, curiosity, ridicule and was even spurned in cultures unfamiliar with what it stood for. The turban has existed in India since time immemorial as a symbol of pride and honour. After 9/11, turbaned persons have been targeted by bigots in the US and Europe. Much like the enterprising Sikh, who ventures unafraid to distant lands, the turban too has endured. The turban tells its tale of travails and triumph in the words of Roopinder Singh.*​




*Sikh students of a school in France
**More pictures...*​
*C*ome to think of it, I am just yards of fine muslin cloth in a myriad of colours and, sometimes, designs. Yet when I adorn the head of those who wear me, I am the epitome of grace, culture and honour. Wars have been fought over me, people have become brothers when they exchange me with another of my kin — Maharaja Ranjit Singh gained the Kohinoor diamond in this fashion. I am a turban.
Now they want to ban me in schools in France. But how can they do it? So many men who wore me died fighting for France. I have been a crown on the heads of historical figures, and of those who are not even footnotes of history. I have made my presence felt in the continents of Asia and Africa for centuries. And if you look back at civilisations, you’ll find my mention in the _Old Testament _and in Egyptian, Turkish and Indian texts and art; in fact, almost everywhere where civilisation made an impact. Why, even relief medallions at Sanchi and Bharhut stupas, dating back to 2nd Century BC or earlier, feature me.
The Egyptians called me _pjr_, I am referred to as the turban in Biblical texts, in Persian I am called _dastar _andin Arabic one of the words for me is _imamah. _In Hindi I am called _pagree _and in Punjabi am referred to as both _pagari _or _dastar._ Other terms for me include _murassa, khirki-dar, Faruq Shahi, atpati, kuladar, pechdar _and _Safawi_, named after the dynasty of the same name in Iran.
I am a symbol of honour, which is why if someone talks of soiling a turban, it implies being dishonoured. In fact, a great honour being conferred upon someone by royalty is _dastar a fazilat_. Today, I will confine this narration to India and, in particular, to the Sikhs. In passing, let me mention that I was an item of formal wear in the southern states, where Iyers used silk cloth. In Maharashtra, there was the _pheta _and, of course, Rajasthan is well known for my colourful cousins called _pagari, pencha, sela, _or _safa_. Museums in Udaipur and Jodhpur have hundreds of styles on display.
What is my ideal length? Actually, it varies, based on the area, style and the person. Historians will bear me out when I tell you that Prince Salim, the 16th-century Sultan of Turkey, wore 11 yards of _malmal, _and other Muslim nobles followed suit. Nowadays, it varies from 5 to 8 yards. The Nihang Sikhs wear turbans, which are many times this size!
In Mughal India, when a reign changed, the new Emperor evolved a style uniquely his own, which was, of course, widely followed. Just look at how Emperors Babur, Hamayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan, and their successors changed the style.
For the Sikhs, I am what Guru Gobind Singh ordered his Khalsa to wear at all times. However, because of my distinctiveness, the Sikhs have gone through various trials and tribulations in the last three centuries. They were easily identified and persecuted during the reign of the Mughals and from time to time thereafter, but have remained steadfast in their devotion to me and all that I stand for. The slogan: "_Pagari sambhal oye Jatta_," by Shaheed Bhagat Singh's uncle became a clarion call for independence from British colonialism.
They have refused to take me off, even if asked to do so as a safety measure. Memorably, in World War II, Sikh soldiers who were fighting for the British refused to wear steel helmets, despite knowing that the causalities among them would be higher if they did so. When told by their officers that the cost of pensions etc. accruing from their death was too much for the British Empire to bear, they unanimously agreed to forego any pension if they got a head injury. They still refused to dispense with me. Nowadays, the dispute is about crash helmets for motorcyclists, and the governments of Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the UK have amended their laws to make special allowance for me.
Someone has documented that during World Wars I and II, 83,055 turbaned Sikh soldiers died and 1,09,045 were wounded when fighting under the command of the Allied forces
Many Sikhs, settled in the UK following World War II, faced discrimination because of me. In 1969, however, the Sikh bus company employees in Wolverhampton, led by Sohan Singh Jolly, won the right to wear turbans while on duty. This marked the successful culmination of a long-running campaign.
Other skirmishes followed, notably in Manchester, and it was only in 1982 that the House of Lords, Britain's highest court, ruled that Sikhs are a distinct ethnic group entitled to protection under the Race Relations Act. Nowadays, in the UK, turban-wearing Sikhs can be seen in all walks of life, including the police and the army.
In the US, I was called all kinds of names when Sikh immigrants first touched the shores of California at the end of the 19th century. They were derisively called "rag heads" because of me. Turbaned Bhagat Singh Thind served in the US army during World War I, but was denied American citizenship because he was "non-European White." Now many Sikhs wear me proudly, many hold top jobs, but the armed forces still discriminate against me. I have faced problems because of ignorance and bigotry after 9/11, but it has always been a continuing struggle to educate people about what I stand for.
In Canada, I faced problems during the early 1900s and, in fact, the Sikhs were disfranchised by British Columbia in 1907, and the Komagatu Maru tragedy, where 376 passengers of the ship were not allowed to disembark at Vancouver, followed in 1914. However, Canada gave voting rights to these people in 1947 and things changed.
In 1990, Baltej Singh Dhillon proudly wore me and joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Some bigoted Canadians protested, but finally the ruling was in my favour a few years later.
In Africa, turbaned Sikhs did not face much problem, except for dealing with curiosity, which always happens. The same was much the case in New Zealand and Australia, except for one time when some members of the Australian Returned Services League tried to have Sikhs debarred from one of their clubs because they refused to remove their turbans on the premises of the club. I understand that the RSL objectors had to back down.
Anyway, so much for my being discriminated against. Most of the time I strike a distinctive note, which attracts attention. And many people are curious about how I am tied. Well, there are various ways, and indeed many distinct styles have evolved, expressing the individuality of various persons as well as the togetherness of various groups.
The way I have been tied often reflected the society of the time and of course there was always the sartorial element. A matching turban, a contrasting one, a _bandhni _turban with a splash of colours, a _lehariya _turban in which pattern makes waves, the African turban with its flat folds. There have been so many turbans, so many ways in which the Sikhs have tied them....
The patterns that the Sikhs wear come primarily from the Rajputs of Rajasthan, where there are thousands of my cousins. Since societal life is stratified in that area, colours and patterns represent specific castes or sub-groups. The way they are tied is also strictly laid down.
For the Sikhs, however, there are no hard and fast rules, though various social groups and geographical areas such as Malwa, Majha, Peshawar, Pothohar and Afghanistan have distinct styles. The Jats tie me differently from the non-Jats. The former, for example, do not wear patterns, just plain ones.
As for the colour, the elderly wear white, which is also a political colour of the Congress Party. The Akalis support royal blue, electric blue and saffron. Most Sikhs have at least half a dozen colours, which they wear to suit the occasion or the attire. Princely states, however, had distinctive colours of their own *(see box)*.​*Colours of the turban*​*Indian armed forces*​BlackCavalry and Armoured CorpsGreenInfantryMaroonSpecial Forces and Para- commandos*Princely states*​The following were the colours favoured for formal turbans by the royalty of the princely states of Punjab:PatialaPink (court) and lemon.Faridkot_Hara Ferozi _(turquoise).NabhaMaroonJindOrange
Black, however, became a colour of specific protest during the British Raj after the tragic killings of the Sikhs at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, now in Pakistan, where the local _mahants_, in connivance with the British authorities, had killed a large number of pilgrims.
In fact, Baba Kharak Singh, a prominent leader of the time, wore me in black. He was jailed by the British from 1922 to 1927. Hundreds of other Sikhs also wore black at that time and many were jailed, but remained steadfast in their demand till the British relented. In the troubled decade of the 1980s, saffron became a colour of discontent.
Though I am overwhelmingly worn by men, women too sport turbans, especially those belonging to the Akhand Kirtani Jatha of Bhai Randhir Singh and also American women converts to Sikhism. They follow the injunction made by Guru Gobind Singh who asked Mai Bhago to wear the _kachera _and tie a turban. Though small in number, these ladies do cut a dashing figure.
When you talk of me, you have to keep in mind the royal house of Patiala, which evolved the distinctive Patiala Shahi turban in which a thumb is used to create a depression near the forehead. The Patiala turban was standardised during the reign of Maharaja Bhupendra Singh.
Urdu poet Faiz wrote a beautiful couplet about me. _Sari-khusrau se naazi-kaj kutahi chin bhi jata hai/ Kutha-i-Khusaravi se bue sultani nahai jati. _While the turban may be taken from the head of a Sultan, the aroma of royalty will not leave the turban.
I am rooted in history that is inseparable from the spiritual journey of the believer. This reason alone is sufficient for me not to be taken lightly or easily dismissed, even though I have, like the symbols that stem out of other religions, become for many followers more an expression of religiosity and cultural values than of spirituality.
I have to be respected for what I stand for, and those who tie me have to reflect on that too, since it is their conduct that will give me the power to stand for honour. "You judge a man by his turban, gait and his speech," maintains an ancient Persian saying. How true​


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## Archived_Member1 (Oct 10, 2007)

i know this is a really old thread, but i found it interesting and wanted to add my small input...

i agree that any colour is fine.  but some colours are more common than others.

i have read that white represents purity of soul and is best for meditation,  black represents humility, the surrender of the ego.  you'll often see kirtanis and raagis wearing black.  saffron (keseri) is the colour of faith and wisdom in many faiths, and blue is the colour of the soldier, the colour of strength and courage.

i usually wear a shade of blue, personally, as it really does make me feel stronger. though i have been known to wear pink just to match my clothes.


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## Archived_Member16 (Oct 10, 2007)

*UNRELATED TO RELIGON, BUT DIFFERENT PROSPECTIVE - FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY :*

*The Meaning Behind Colors*
By Debbie Jensen 


As we endure the mood of others for both good and bad, we also endure the mood deriving from colors for both good and bad. Colors are the visual manifestation of moods placed on objects. To bear this out, notice what Jason O’Connor observed in 2005 from the article "How to Choose Your Website Colors”:

*Yellow:*
Positive: Caution, brightness, intelligence, joy, organization, Spring time
Negative: Criticism, laziness, or cynicism

*Blue:*
Positive: Tranquility, love, acceptance, patience, understanding, cooperation, comfort, loyalty and security
Negative: Fear, coldness, passivity and depression

*Orange:*
Positive: Steadfastness, courage, confidence, friendliness, and cheerfulness, warmth, excitement and energy
Negative: Ignorance, inferiority, sluggishness and superiority

*Purple:*
Positive: Royalty, sophistication, religion
Negative: Bruised or foreboding

*Green:*
Positive: Monëy, health, food, nature, hope, growth, freshness, soothing, sharing, and responsiveness
Negative: Envy, greed, constriction, guilt, jealousy and disorder

*Black:*
Positive: Dramatic, classy, committed, serious
Negative: Evil, death, ignorance, coldness

*White:*
Positive: Pure, fresh, easy, cleanliness or goodness
Negative: Blind, winter, cold, distant

From the above list of color associations, can you see how the descriptions for the colors would change according to where you live? The descriptions (associated with colors as illustrated above) are subjective to change and may differ for each culture and subculture across the world.

Even though red was not mentioned, studies have shown that it is the love-hate color. Even in the animal kingdom, studies show that bugs flash their red body parts to warn their enemies.

We react to colors and associate them to memories, objects, people, and places. In part, this may have something to do with how colors throw off wavelengths. Environmentally speaking, we can't see sound waves, but we can hear them. Normally, we can't see heat waves, but we feel them. With color waves, we don't hear or feel them, but we see them. There are other considerations we need to remember about colors too.

Colors have a voice. James Stockton, the author of Designer’s Guide to Color (1984) wrote: “The many psychological aspects of color often seen more emotional and personal than scientific and determining agreement in reactions to colors is sometimes difficult. . . The ‘voice’ of a color depends largely on the colors that are place next to it. . .” The expression of the “voice” of colors really appeals to me, because this is what I see too.

If the colors could speak, they would. Colors are wavelengths; we just can’t hear them. Again, colors do make sound and do have a voice, we just can’t hear them. This is why, our color choices for our home and décor, our cars, and clothing speak volumes about us. We are compatible with the sound waves emanating from our choice the colors that surround us.

Colors are used as non-verbal communication in every aspect of our lives whether we realize it or not. Sometimes the color expressions are so powerful that the influence of color can be louder than the spoken word. (Revised 2/16/2006)


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Jensen


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## Archived_Member1 (Oct 10, 2007)

that was interesting...  but did you notice that it's very western culture-centric?

in india, white is the colour of mourning, people wear yellow in fall (diwali) or in punjab it makes me think of the mustard flowering time (winter).  purple is a religious colour for catholics, while green is for muslims and keseri is for buddhists, hindus, and sikhs. 

it's fascinating to see the small differences between cultures can even manifest in how we react to colour.


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## GITIKA KAUR (Nov 19, 2007)

wjkk wjkf
sikh should wear either blue or kesri turban  as maskeen ji and jasbeer singh khalsa ji always worn blue turban blue is a symbol of calm an peace 

the importance of kesri color 

n the Sikh World, a banner is called the Nishan Sahib. , a mark of
identity and Sahib is added for respect. It is sometimes referred to as Kesri Jhanda (Kesri - saffron colored.
.
Nishan Sahib is ensign of the Khalsa Panth

thankz and regards
gitika kaur khalsa​


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## Archived_Member1 (Nov 19, 2007)

GITIKA KAUR said:


> wjkk wjkf
> sikh should wear either blue or kesri turban as maskeen ji and jasbeer singh khalsa ji always worn blue turban blue is a symbol of calm an peace
> 
> the importance of kesri color
> ...


 
who is jasbeer singh khalsa and why should i care what color turban he wore? 

seriously though... as far as i know guru sahib makes no restrictions or suggestions regarding turban color. it is 100% personal choice.

EDIT:

i have done a google search for Jasbir Singh Khalsa, the "panth rattan" and consistently see him in blue or black...  thanks for pointing out his name, he seems to be quite and admirable man!


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## kds1980 (Nov 19, 2007)

kelly_kaur said:


> who is jasbeer singh khalsa and why should i care what color turban he wore?
> 
> seriously though...  as far as i know guru sahib makes no restrictions or suggestions regarding turban color.  it is 100% personal choice.



Jasbeer singh khalsa is very famous raagi.Some sikhs try to take inspiration from these people.

Btw i agree with you there is no restriction on color of turban .Its 10% matter of personal choice.


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## drkhalsa (Nov 20, 2007)

Jasbeer Singh Khalsa Khane walle Was very good Raagi/Preacher /Katha wachak  he passed away recently .
I am still not very sure If I am talking about the right person !

About Turban color Rainbow is the only limit i guess!


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## KulwantK (Nov 29, 2007)

Sat Nam and Greetings, everyone!
Interestingly enough, speaking of colors, and colors for turbans, there is a Singh tartan, (you can look it up -it has its own site) and it is a very nice mostly blue plaid pattern.  Also, plaids did not originally come from Scotland--they came from, yes, you know it already- India!
Cheers and blessings-
Kulwant


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## Damo_Singh (Nov 30, 2007)

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fathe,

I just wanted to thank each of you on this forum for your posts.  They are so educational.   I enjoyed reading the post by  drkhalsa  in which the turban speaks.  As  I read the  posts  I realize how much I don't know and how little I do know.  I am thankful that the only thing on the  final example is  our love  and devotion to Waheguru  and our fellowman.  I own the material  for a blue turban, but  I have not yet started to  fear it.  I hope to one  day be  able to  wear  each  of the 5K's.http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/members/drkhalsa.html


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## Damo_Singh (Nov 30, 2007)

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/members/drkhalsa.html
I posted an unexpected long reply to this thanking each of you and sharing my hope of one day wearing a turban, but I am not sure if it posted or stopped in mid-post.


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## roopsidhu (Dec 1, 2007)

SSA to all sikh sangat
A true sikh is not dependent of colours, places or casts. In sikhism no importance has been given to the wordly colours, the most important colour for a sikh is the " Naam da rang".
Any how wear any colour which pleases you the best


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## amarpreet41 (Feb 2, 2008)

Personal choice...

I got around 22-23 different turban colors and hardly repeat one in a month. While in malaysia, people recognize me as the one wearing nice turban colors matching with shirts/trousers.

Proud to be a sikh and want sikhs to be recognized in this special way.

Regards
Amarpreet singh







KulwantK said:


> Sat Nam and Greetings, everyone!
> Interestingly enough, speaking of colors, and colors for turbans, there is a Singh tartan, (you can look it up -it has its own site) and it is a very nice mostly blue plaid pattern. Also, plaids did not originally come from Scotland--they came from, yes, you know it already- India!
> Cheers and blessings-
> Kulwant


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## Sherab (Feb 2, 2008)

Sikhs should not wear red or green according to some maryadas, because red is a "hindu" color, and green is a "muslim" color, but it depends how strict you are...


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## amarpreet41 (Feb 2, 2008)

Sorry, I have different views here. 

Is this mentioned in our Rehat Maryada not to wear red or green colors? Sorry for my ignorance..

Rgds
Amarpreet Singh





Sherab said:


> Sikhs should not wear red or green according to some maryadas, because red is a "hindu" color, and green is a "muslim" color, but it depends how strict you are...


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## Sherab (Feb 2, 2008)

amarpreet41 said:


> Sorry, I have different views here.
> 
> Is this mentioned in our Rehat Maryada not to wear red or green colors? Sorry for my ignorance..
> 
> ...


Not akal takhat's maryada, no.. Damidami taksal and AKJ do though.. but your good for the mainstream, i just prefer Damidami Taksaal 

It's what works for me!

Sorry for the confusion bhai ji!

PS. Is your store based in India or malaysia?


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## Archived_Member1 (Feb 2, 2008)

Sherab said:


> Sikhs should not wear red or green according to some maryadas, because red is a "hindu" color, and green is a "muslim" color, but it depends how strict you are...




that's funny, because muslims in the time of Guru Gobind Singh ji wore blue.    I've read a poem which describes Guru Gobind Singh ji wearing "arun" which i think is red, and gurbani mentions sikhs as the "soul bride" dressed in red repeatedly.  

maybe this is why those old prejudices against certain colours were thrown out when the scholars compiled the akal takht maryada.   they're based on inconsistent ideas. 

oh, and i think most hindus would describe the "hindu color" as saffron/keseri, which we have no problem using to represent sikhs.


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## Sherab (Feb 2, 2008)

jasleen_kaur said:


> that's funny, because muslims in the time of Guru Gobind Singh ji wore blue.    I've read a poem which describes Guru Gobind Singh ji wearing "arun" which i think is red, and gurbani mentions sikhs as the "soul bride" dressed in red repeatedly.
> 
> maybe this is why those old prejudices against certain colours were thrown out when the scholars compiled the akal takht maryada.   they're based on inconsistent ideas.
> 
> oh, and i think most hindus would describe the "hindu color" as saffron/keseri, which we have no problem using to represent sikhs.


That is true... 

thank you very much!!

However, i think abstaining from certain colors is good, but it depends on the person.. i get out of control easily, so i prefer to have a "stricter" rehat, to keep me in line, and also too feel like i am "closer" to waheguru... though it is an illusion (maya), to my manmukh mind, its just another way of keeping baba ji in mind...


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## BhagatSingh (Feb 2, 2008)

Sherab said:


> That is true...
> 
> thank you very much!!
> 
> However, i think abstaining from certain colors is good, but it depends on the person.. i get out of control easily, so i prefer to have a "stricter" rehat, to keep me in line, and also too feel like i am "closer" to waheguru... though it is an illusion (maya), to my manmukh mind, its just another way of keeping baba ji in mind...


why do u think absatining from certain colours is good?


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## Sherab (Feb 2, 2008)

BhagatSingh said:


> why do u think absatining from certain colours is good?


It's a way of pulling my mind closer to guru ji.


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## Davey1000 (Jun 9, 2008)

amarpreet41 said:


> Personal choice...
> 
> I got around 22-23 different turban colors and hardly repeat one in a month. While in malaysia, people recognize me as the one wearing nice turban colors matching with shirts/trousers.
> 
> ...


 
Hello! I don't want to sound racist or anything but as an Englishman I find the caste system and turban colour rules absolutely incredible. This is because in the boom years of the 1960's I was working in London at an electronics factory. In the metal workshops there was a lathe operator with a turban (Health & Safety was not so hot in those days but nowadays elastic nets are supposed to be used). Another man with a different coloured turban was interviewed for a vacancy and was offered the job. He was then shown round the workplace before making his final decision. He saw the man with the different coloured turban (one was orange and one was green) then asked the interviewer if he would be paid more than the lathe operator. The answer was no because the lathe operator was highly skilled and had worked there for several years. The new man claimed to be of a higher caste than the lathe operator and because of this he wanted more money! His demand for more money was refused so he turned down the job! Amazing really to refuse a good steady job because someone else has is wearing a different coloured turban. Nowt as queer as folk! :rofl!!:


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## spnadmin (Jun 9, 2008)

Davey1000 ji

Turban color and caste have nothing to do one with the other.  One of the men may have guessed the caste of the other man using some other clue. Turban color can be associated with a faction or sect within Sikhi -- Nihangs wear blue, Nirmali wear white, but anyone can wear blue or white and not be a Nihang or a Nirmali.


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## Davey1000 (Jun 9, 2008)

Thank you for the explanation although I will always find such things incomprehensible.  I guess that the caste system must be a bit like freemasonry (which has several ranks) From what I can gather the system is a bit like a chain letter but the chances of apprentices rising to the top is rather slim unless they are very well connected.  IMHO such organisations are little more than nepotism clubs.

Best regards from David


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## spnadmin (Jun 9, 2008)

Davey ji

The caste system as an historical fact in India was and to some extent today is much more than a club. Freemasonry, by the way, is an ancient secret society whose members seek to be initiated at increasing levels of secret knowledge and understanding.  A simplistic description because I want to move onto the caste system.

The caste system in India is thousands of years old. It has been historically a religious, political, social and economic structure around which the lives of the population were organized and ordered. The origins of the caste system rise with the Law of Manu, who may have been a mythological character, but many consider him to be a fact in history. Manu _wrote or issued_ a code for social organization that included many traditions and practices, including the caste system. These practices that regulated life in India, up to the present. The caste system was outlawed after the liberation, and I believe the year was 1950.

One's caste (or rather varna) was a marker of one's spiritual identity and level of development as well social identity.  Individual souls took rebirth to master moral and spiritual lessons in one lifetime, and then to be then reborn into the same caste, again and again, until all the lessons were learned and all the spiritual debts were paid. Caste and reincarnation are indistinguishable in a strict understanding of the Law of Manu. So souls  reincarnated through levels continually. Caste kept reincarnation organized so that the lesson of one caste -- humility for untouchables - would be distinguishable from lessons assigned to other castes. And certain religious experiences were forbidden to lower castes because their souls were believed to be unsuited. For example, if an untouchable were caught reciting the vedas he/she would be put to death. Similarly certain economic activities were forbidden to members of various castes. Brahmins could do x or y, but not z. And so forth.

All of the Sikh Gurus were members of the Khashtri varna or caste of warriors and business men. Many of the Gurus' followers were members of the Jaat varna, famers and craftsmen. In fact the word "jaat" in Gurbani has been translated to mean "caste" and to mean "status." And there is a lot of historical information and cultural lore surrounding the contributions of the Jaat varna to the spread of Sikhi.

What does this have to do with Sikhi? Well there are many Sikhs in India who can trace their family lineages back in some cases more than 1000 years, to a time before the Sikh gurus. The historical memory of one's caste dies hard. Why? Because with caste comes one's sense of clan, family and personal identity. People simply do not shed their cultural memories at one stroke of the clock, and then change over night -- because with culture comes a sense of identity and place in the world. *Sikhism decries the caste system. *Yet people cling when there is no longer any logical reason to continue with political, social, and economic structures that regulated life when conditions were very different. So when Guru Nanak united the Jats and Khashtri's, and when he declared there is no Hindu no Muslim, he made a lot of sense. To the people listening at the time Nanak's message was a message of liberation from injustices and oppression of the past. Unfortunately someone can unlock the door to our prison cells. But we are the ones who must decide to walk through the door and out of the prison. 

Please do not be hard on Sikhs because of what you have observed. Many of us have accepted the path to liberation given us by Nanak. Others know better, but have not made the choice. And individuals among the Sikhs are not alone in persisting with obsolete and oppressive traditions. Look around you.


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## Harjas Kaur Khalsa (Jun 9, 2008)

> Nihangs wear blue, Nirmali wear white, but anyone can wear blue or white and not be a Nihang or a Nirmali.


Nirmalas were kesri generally.

The four traditional Khalsa colors are:

Kesri - holiness, dedication to God, sacrifice
Blue - Royalty
White - purity
Black - protest, morcha






Mahant Ram Singh is shown on the left.  He is the current spiritual head of the Nirmala sect.  


Red is traditionally worn for weddings.  Sikh can wear any color of turban he likes.  But outside of anand karaj, red is considered a sensual color and not often seen.  Amritdharis often try to wear the traditional Khalsa colors because they have symbolic meaning to the Khalsa.  Oftentimes amritdharis will wear keshri keski (under turban). Gurmat Gursikh Amritdharis will not wear red to anand karaj, but usually Khalsa neela.  Like a military which has it's own separate colors to identify itself, the Khalsa has purataan Khalsa colors.


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## spnadmin (Jun 10, 2008)

Bhenji, Thanks for the correction on turban color of Nirmalis. Sorrowfully, I am going to have to edit your comment because the picture of the Nihangs *AKJ's*  is so big it makes the window larger than one's computer screen.

Correction made.


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## Harjas Kaur Khalsa (Jun 10, 2008)

Those aren't Nihangs bhenji, that's AKJ.


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## spnadmin (Jun 10, 2008)

Ok, Wrong again. Correction made.


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## futurekaur (Jun 10, 2008)

Harjas ji;
 I was wondering if the wedding couple were AKJ; thanks for the photo. What a beautiful couple. Does AKJ wear bana all the time? I think the kaur's big turban is terrrific, I see they don't wear a scarf over it either


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## Harjas Kaur Khalsa (Jun 12, 2008)

Yes, AKJ prefer to wear bana all the time, but this is an individual choice.  The Jatha promotes Khalsa bana and strict Rehit.  The large dumalla is traditional, lots of AKJ women wear chunni over keski.  Some women tie dumalla.  Some just wear keski.  The AKJ Rehit stipulates that Keski, and not Kes is one of the panj kakkars.  And the rationale is that keeping uncut Hair is your Sikh identity, your bond with Guruji.  To cut the kes make you patit.  When you take amrit, you promise to wear on your person kara, kacchera, kangha, kirpan and keski.  If you remove an article of faith, it is negative, but sometimes necessary such as going to an airport but not in itself a bujjar kurehit like removing kes.  So, AKJ believes every amritdhari, male or female must wear keski.  Dumalla is the traditional battlefield dastaar, and because Singhnis are the spiritual equal of Singhs and have traditionally fought in wars, female can also wear dumalla.  The Singh is looking to marry his Singhni, not just his wife.


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## futurekaur (Jun 14, 2008)

Harjas ji;
 thanks so much for explaining.  I knew that AJK had their own rehit but not the keski, stitpulation.  I knew dumalla as a turban style but didn't know it was battle dress, that gives so much depth to understanding. Also the Singh marrying his Singhni - powerful! and beautiful.


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## Joginder Singh Foley (Jun 15, 2008)

Ulitmately the colour of your Turban is irrelevant but what is the most inportant is that the turban is there on your head, The turban is neatly tied and that you are proud to wear your turban on your head to identify yourselve *AS A SIKH OF THE GURU'S *, Although myself i prefer black for practical reasons at work as my job involves a lot cwarling over, under and in amongst the inards od railway locomotives and rolling stock and in a job like that you will trash a turban or get it covered in oil and grease etc that is why i keep spare turbans at work


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## Archived_member3 (Jun 15, 2008)

AKJ members display the most beautiful garments


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## drkhalsa (Jun 16, 2008)

> Red is traditionally worn for weddings.  sikh can wear any color of turban he likes.  But outside of anand karaj, red is considered a sensual color and not often seen.



Red is very Coomon colors for young peopel in India Atleast and  _Red Turban has always bee part of my Wardrobe since I started wearing Turban some 16 years ago

So I think this all good color bad color stuff is very Regional kind of thing  and I do respect emotions of people related to Different colors carried by groups like AKJ and Nihang  But to me they all the same 
_


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## Harjas Kaur Khalsa (Jun 16, 2008)

ਰਤਾ ਪੈਨਣੁ ਮਨੁ ਰਤਾ ਸੁਪੇਦੀ ਸਤੁ ਦਾਨੁ ॥ 
rathaa painan man rathaa supaedhee sath dhaan ||
My mind is imbued with the Lord's Love; it is dyed a deep crimson. Truth and charity are my white clothes.  

ਨੀਲੀ ਸਿਆਹੀ ਕਦਾ ਕਰਣੀ ਪਹਿਰਣੁ ਪੈਰ ਧਿਆਨੁ ॥ 
neelee siaahee kadhaa karanee pehiran pair dhhiaan ||
The blackness of sin is erased by my wearing of blue clothes, and meditation on the Lord's Lotus Feet is my robe of honor.
~SGGS Ji p. 16​


Well crimson or reddish is talked about in Gurbani as associated with Divine Love, so it is not at all negative.


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## spnadmin (Jun 23, 2008)

Jios,

Turbans on the Rate My Turban site come in every color and style. 

You can try this link to make a decision:

*Turbanizer.com - Ever Wondered What You Looked Like In A TURBAN?*

----------------------------------------------------

To visit Rate My Turban, go here *Rate My Turban*


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## futurekaur (Jun 25, 2008)

All right I admit it, I had fun with the turbanizer;-)  I thought red was for weddings, or is that just women's clothing?


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## spnadmin (Jun 25, 2008)

futurekaur ji

Red is traditional for a woman's wedding dress. However, anyone can wear red any time. The traditional red wedding garments for a women, are not just red, but they are embroidered richly with gold and sliver thread in Persian embroidery, making them very de luxe! The shades of red are also deep crimsons to purplish reds. I have also seen deep blue and richly embroidered wedding salwar kameez too!

Men wear red turbans often far as I can tell from gurdwara and from photos. 

Which turban did you like best. I tried them all on and decided that the rajasthani turban was the one for me. But in light colors. The bold prints on the turbanizer have a little bit too 1970's flower child look. How shameless of me. How stuck in Maya! But Maya is fun sometimes.:yes:


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## futurekaur (Jun 25, 2008)

Aad ji;
 thanks for the info about wedding clothes. Deep blue wedding salwar kameez, now that's a nice surprise. 
    I tried every single turban on too.  My favorite was punjabi black. Very elegant & distinguished. Pinky &  white with the gold streak were nice. I think because the punjabi style is round & I have red hair, the black looked the best.  I loved the canadian but it wore me;-) It is maya & a game, but at the same time if it takes any kind of 'fear' or anxiety away about wearing a turban then that is a great thing. 
   A chand pin too is a good idea, it distinguishes sikhs & also gives a polite talking point for a person.


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## Arvind (Jul 4, 2008)

Kesari i.e. Saffron is associated with spirituality. Guru sahibs made sikhs... saint soldiers! adding another dimension to the spirituality. Just my personal opinion only ji.


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## pk70 (Jul 4, 2008)

*I wonder what we are becoming? Are we trying  to dig down new information that the color of turban can add spirituality too. Old sadh always use saffron turban, Pundits use saffron cloth; how could that help in gaining spirituality. My views, wear what you get.
It recalls me of Guru ji when he was asked to wear "janeo"*


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## spnadmin (Jul 4, 2008)

Jios, 

The serious side of life. This article reports on a study that is to my way of thinking extremely credible research. From the Sikhnet web site, Study suggests "turban effect" as a source of "Islamophobia" | SikhNet

*Study suggests "turban effect" as a source of "Islamophobia"*

                                              Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008        
                               News Source:        www.canada.com








A Muslim-style turban is perceived as a threat, according to a new study, even by people who don't realize they hold the prejudice, dubbed "_the turban effect_" by researchers.
Research volunteers played a computer game that showed apartment balconies on which different figures appeared, some wearing Muslim-style turbans or hijabs and others bare-headed. They were told to shoot at the targets carrying guns and spare those who were unarmed, with points awarded accordingly. 

 People were much more likely to shoot Muslim-looking characters - men or women - even if they were carrying an innocent item instead of a weapon, the researchers found. 

 "Whether they're holding a steel coffee mug or a gun, people are just more likely to shoot at someone who is wearing a turban," says author _Christian Unkelbach_, a visiting scholar at Australia's _University of New South Wales_. "Just putting on this piece of clothing changes people's behaviour." 

 _Unkelbach _largely blames one-sided media portrayals for the bias.
The results would almost certainly be the same if this study was conducted in Canada, says _Mohamed Elmasry_, national president of the _Canadian Islamic Congress_.

 "I'm hoping that Canadian Muslims one day become invisible," says _Elmasry_. "As such, Canadians will treat them like any others."

 *Islamophobia* - "latent" before 9/11 - is on the rise, he says, but there is very little research on the issue in Canada.
The new study "does confirm our biggest fear that there is discrimination and prejudice within our society, and unfortunately people don't recognize it or don't admit it," says _Salam Elmenyawi_, president of the Muslim Council of Montreal.

 "Sometimes they really don't know that it does exist."

 Beyond a turban or hijab, someone's name, skin colour or a long beard may also identify them as a Muslim and make them a target of prejudice, he says. _Elmenyawi_ wears a head-covering and long beard and says he struggles between recognizing that negative stereotypes exist and not becoming "paranoid" that he might fall prey to them.
In fact, the Australian study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the _Journal of Experimental Social Psychology_, confirmed that people don't even realize they hold these biased views. When the true intention of the experiment was revealed, _Unkelbach_ says participants insisted they were not prejudiced and must have reacted differently from everyone else.

 "The most common response was, 'I'm sure I didn't show that effect,'" he says. "They're uncomfortable and I believe them - people are not doing this willingly. If they could, they would control that. Here, people are almost the victims of what they are fed by their environment." 

 A quick sampling of news items related to Muslims and the Middle East confirmed this, he says, with a focus on violence and terrorism almost obliterating more balanced stories about the culture and people. 

 "If everything about Middle Easterners is associated with terrorism, people tend to form stereotypes in their head," confirms _Rima Wilkes_, a sociology professor studying media at the _University of British Columbia_. 

 Even fictional media feed these biases, she says. One study showed that movies tend to feature "socially acceptable" villain stereotypes that have evolved over time, from evil Germans in the post-war years to vaguely Muslim bad guys more recently. Even swarthy, pixelated video game adversaries send the message that "ethnic others are bad," _Wilkes_ says.

 *Shannon Proudfoot
Canwest News Service*


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## cindy (Apr 17, 2009)

:inca:are you mad at me?


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## Admin (Apr 17, 2009)

sorry for what dear?


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## Joginder Singh Foley (Apr 24, 2009)

Ultimately to my mind the colour of the turban is at best irrelivent what is important is the turban it'self and the fact that you wear the turban as the complete package that is SIKHI, you wear the turban because you want to wear  a turban and you want to wear a turban because you are proud and honoured to be identified as a SIKH of the GURU's and VAHEGURU........thats just my humble opinion on the subject. PS i prefer black turbans for practical reasons allthough own one green turban being an irishman who adapted SIKHi many years ago allthough the green turban only gets worn one day of the year...St Patricks day


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## Harpreet_Singh_ (Apr 24, 2009)

One of my uncles is very much against the black color. He would never a black turban. He says its bad luck for him. I know Giani Maskeen Ji use to wear a black turban at most times.

Ayways, I agree. Color doesn't mean much in of itself, but it can help represent your mood. I know traditionally, white turban is considered saintly or pure. I am big fan of the dark blue color myself.

WJJK
WJJF


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## Tejwant Singh (Apr 25, 2009)

It is not in the colour of the turban or of a chunni but the colour of Goodnesss which can only come with total immersion in the colors of Gurmat values. SGGS shows us many times that we need this extreme makeover many a times, over and over in our lives because we all slip and fall which at times makes our inner colours fade a bit.

So, no matter what colour of turban or chunni we wear, the only colour that matters is which glows on our faces and sparkles through our deeds.

Tejwant Singh


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