Turbanized

Having lived in a foreign country for almost 4 months now, we’ve realized that there are just as many misconceptions about Americans by Indians as there are of Indians by Americans. For example, at most every social occasion, questioning guests are always stunned to find out that we don’t drink alcohol or smoke. “But we thought all Americans drank and smoke!” is the usual sentiment.

Likewise, the image of India that I grew up with as a child was one of turban-wearing snake charmers and ornately pierced women dancing around all the time. Maturity, education and experience have broadened my picture of India and has (thankfully) prevented me from making stupid remarks like, “Where’s your pet cobra and jingling wife? I thought all Indians were charmers and dancers!”

Cultural understanding is one of the primary reasons for being here on the Fulbright Teacher Exchange in the first place and learning about India and her people firsthand has been both enlightening and unexpectedly fun.

Here’s what I mean.

We were again invited the other evening to have dinner with the family of Inderpreet, Jen’s exchange teacher. Our times with her family have always been enjoyable (See Tambola, Yes!) After getting introduced to more of her family for the first time, I realized that I was the only man in the house who wasn’t wearing a turban. I’ve become as accustomed to seeing men with turbans on here in India as I would guys with ball caps on in the States. I don’t give it a second thought. Although where a baseball hat in the U.S. may be worn for warmth, style or to hide baldness, the men I spent the evening with wore head coverings for an entirely different reason – devotion. Inderpreet’s family is Sikh (pronounced 'seek'). Sikhism is the world’s youngest monotheistic religion founded around 500 years ago by Guru Nanak and was carried on by 8 other gurus until the last one declared that the compiled writings of the gurus was the FINAL guru - Guru Granth Sahib - of which we saw when we visited the Golden Temple (See Seeking the Golden Temple).

The last guru also instituted the Khalsa or Pure Order, in which true devotees would be identified by wearing uncut hair, a comb, a sword or dagger, a steel bracelet, and undershorts. Though the turban originally served to neatly contain all of a Sikh's uncut hair, it has been transformed into being a emblem of Sikhism by itself and has surpassed the other symbols in importance. Today, though many Sikhs cut their hair or shave their beard, they still proudly wear a turban (or patka for the younger boys) no matter where they are in the world.

All this to say, my curiosity about the turban and the mens' generosity towards me collided on my head. Before I knew it, I was donning a previously wrapped Sikh turban with the rest of the men. I kept it on throughout dinner as well to enjoy its warmth, lightness and dignified look.


"Danielson . . . wrap on, wrap off."


Topping off the head.


Giving the traditional Sikh greeting, "Sat sri akal!" with the men.

After dinner, Inderpreet's father unwrapped the turban to reveal a thin cloth nearly the size of a bed spread - about 2 meters wide by 5 meters long.


He then quickly rolled and wrapped the sheer cotton blanket around my head in a matter of seconds (which apparantly takes quite a few minutes to make it look right). The lopsided wrap brought some good laughs and I was satisfied to have FINALLY been taught how to tie a turban - even if my hopes of fitting in made me stand out all the more.


If you're interested in the different styles of turbans throughout the world click here.
Feeling brave and want to try it yourself? Give this a clicker.
And finally the history of the turban here in the Old Testament.

Jimmy