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Summary of Question:	Delicate Situation!
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Sunday, 6/03/2001 8:10 AM MDT

I wear a turban and do not trim my beard. About a year ago i wanted to trim my beard or cut my hair because I was not fond of it. But very recently I think I am changing my attitude towards it and am thinkin of keeping it for just now. The other problem is that I want to go into the music industry and am wondering if it is ok etc. I am not a very serious sikh and think that if you are not a true believer then it is pointless in keeping your hair. Can you please tell me the right way to go. Thank you.

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REPLY
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Dear One--

Sat Siri Akal. In the final anaylsis, you have to decide if you are committed, in your heart and mind, to wearing the form of Guru Gobind Singh and the identity of a Sikh of the Guru. It is not about fondness for the hair, it is fondness for the identity of Gursikh. This is the criteria for deciding it. But before you go cut your hair, ask the deeper question: why are you not a serious Sikh? Is it because you never thought about it? Because you would prefer some other religious path? Because you don't choose to be religious or Sikh? I cannot answer these, but recommend you ask yourself before you do anything.

Others have commented on this Forum that when they trimmed their beard or cut their hair, instead of being pleased they found they were devastated. It is not a decision to take lightly.

There are Sikhs in ALL walks of life. I do not see why you should feel that you cannot be keshdari/turbaned Sikh in the music industry. Your determination to live the Sikh identity will give you the strength you need to go where you want; you do not have to buy into the whatever the current trend of how musicians are 'supposed' to look. Most of that is to sell sex in some form (by looking sexy), and do you WANT to play into that?

I might add that the musician Dya Singh (from Australia) is a keshdari Sikh who has found a large, cross-over audience for his popular music. So it CAN be done!

Guru's blessings upon you,
-DKK