samedi 26 janvier 2013

The Sikh, Indian, Kurdish And Arab Turban

By Dorothy Hurley


People can be seen wearing turbans in countries all over the world. Various different styles are worn according different cultures and religions. They include Sikh dastars, the Arab turban, Indian turbans, Afghan turbans and many others. People have been wearing turbans for thousands of years and they also have practical uses. In Arabic countries Muslim men wear turbans to emulate the prophet Mohammed, as he is said to have worn white, green and black colored turbans throughout his life.

In the Islamic Shia traditions men wear a black turban that is wrapped around a small white cap called a topi. They are worn by descendents of the Prophet. White turbans are worn by well educated and scholarly men. Other Islamic sects wear green turbans with the white topi.

Muslim women do not wear turbans as it is considered to be a part of male clothing. In many Arabic countries men wear a plain or checked scarf called a keffiyeh, shumagh or a ghutrah. They are not usually considered as turbans, but they are worn for cultural reasons and are a part of the Arabic Annah traditions of some Arabic and East African countries.

A long piece of cloth is used to create turbans and they is wound around the head. Different cultures and religions determine their shape, color and size. They can be seen all over South and Central Asia, North and East Africa and Arabic countries. Most turbans are wound anew every time they are put on. In Kenya turbans are wound in such as way that results in a sharp point at the top.

One particularly recognizable turban is the Sikh dastar, they look very elegant and are quite large in size. Sikh men are expected to wear them at all times during the day. In Afghanistan more men wear turbans than in any other country on the globe. These are extreamly large and also serve the purposes of acting as a shawl, blanket and a way to tie animals.

In Kurdistan the males wear a turban known as a Jamadani. These are worn in a way that is determined by the region of Kurdistan. The Barzani Kurds wear red or white turbans depending on their tribe. These turbans are formed from a length of striped or plain cloth and are wound around a conical hat that has tassels that hang down over the face. These turbans look very striking and beautiful.

Indian men wear turbans known as pagris. These turbans symbolize honor and respect and so they are given to honorable guests to wear at special occasions. They are usually white, pink or saffron colored. White pagris represent peace, pink represents valor and the saffron pagri represents rebirth and renewal.

Turbans are also worn by followers of the Rastafarian religion. They are very different from the Indian and Arab turban. They are used to keep dreadlocks free from damage and dirt. The orthodox Christians in Ethiopia also wear turbans and up until the 17th century they were worn in Europe by Christians. The poet Alexander Pope is depicted wearing turban in various paintings of him.




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