Sikhs celebrate World Turban Day

Amritsar, Apr.14 : Sikhs observed World Turban Day here on Monday, the beginning of the harvest festival of Baisakhi.

Both the young and the elderly wore colorful turbans and took part in a mini-marathon through the streets of Amritsar before concluding the event outside the Golden Temple.

The event also included folk dances and popular Punjabi tunes. Girls wearing colourful scarves were the cynosure of all eyes.

"We want to spread the message that Sikhs and the turban are one entity. They cannot be seen in isolation. We want to bring back the Sikhs who have given up the turban and make them a part of the larger (Sikh) community," said Jaswinder Singh, one of the organizers of the event.

The event is organized annually to help the Sikh youths connect to their culture and religion.

Among the Sikhs, the turban is an article of faith that represents honor, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa Sikhs, who adorn the Five Ks, wear the turban partly to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The turban is mostly identified with the Sikh males, although some Sikh women also wear turban.

The Khalsa Sikhs regard the turban as an important part of the unique Sikh identity. They are easily recognizable by their distinctive turbans. Some Sahajdhari Sikhs do not wear turbans. It is not uncommon to see Hindu males from Punjab wearing turbans signifying their close relationship with Sikhism.

ANI