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Summary of Question:Re: Ladies & Turbans.
Date Posted:Wednesday, 6/23/1999 4:08 AM MDT
Moderator Note: The following statement is from a young Sikh woman who wears the turban. She writes in response to an earlier question (accessible on the URL click at the end), which expressed a belief that wearing the turban is inappropriate for a woman. A number of responses have cited teachings and traditions within Sikh Dharma that strongly support the values of a woman who chooses to wear the turban. This personal testimony extends that information:
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Waheguru ji ka khalsa, wahegur ji ki fateh.

I'd like make comments regarding this subject. Myself being a sikhi who wears a turban and having faced this kind of prejudice from society I feel very strongly about the subject. First, I can comment that neither gender has been instructed to wear a turban. If you're speaking from the Guru Granth Sahib, it only quotes "SABAT SOORAT DISTAR". Can you truely say that either gender has been instructed to wear a turban? No, but people also comment that Women shouldn't be wearing them. Have you taken time to go and ask these ladies why they have choosen to wear a turban? It may be out of respect for the Guru, because they feel that covering their heads with just the chunnie is not enough. You said that they seem to stick with each other, maybe its because they have things of interest in common and don't seem to be able to communicate and relate to other people, due to prejudice. I remember when I first started wearing a turban, family members and community members started to act differently towards me just
because I was wearing a turban,
feeling that <she can't have a laugh>, <she's too serious to talk to>. So people who wear turbans don't find interest in the highlight of conversation being the new style of make up, of hair styles. But judging them to say that <they might think they are higher than everyone else is wrong>.

In many interpretations of the rehit nama, famous sikhs have commented on the turban but no once indicated which gender this applies to. PLease note that if a sikh wishes to receive Amrit from Akal Takhat women are required to wear a turban because it isn't allowed to receive Amrit at the Akal Takhat without a turban.

Guru Gobind SIngh Says:

"Kangha dono vakt kar, paag chune lar bandhai", is it possible to say who this is indicates, which gender is he speaking of? No. Please note that in some countries muslim men and women wear turbans still in today's society. Another quotation is "Kachh, karha, kirpan, kangha, keski, Eh panj kakar rehat dhare Sikh soi". The five kakars of sikhsism are special underwear, steel bracelet, sword, comb and small turban. A person who wears all these Sikh symbols should be considered a Sikh.

Neither gender has been mentioned. I think you need to ask these ladies yourself the reason why they wear a turban but not with these prejudices already in your mind. Sikhs dont think they are higher than anyone, no-one is apart from Waheguru.

Kamalpreet Kaur


[Previous Main Document]
. . Re: Ladies & Turbans. (06/17/1999)
Re: Ladies & Turbans. (06/23/1999)
. . Re: Ladies & Turbans. (06/24/1999)
Ladies & Turbans. (06/14/1999)
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