The significance of a turban to a Sikh

When France recently announced that it would not overturn its ban on the Sikh turban for Sikh people living in the country, Sikh people in New Delhi held placards outside the French Embassy to protest the move. This was a natural reaction, considering the significance of a turban to followers of the Sikh faith.

While the French government has clarified that the ban on religious symbols in schools is not Sikh-specific, and no student of any religion can wear a religious symbol to school, be it the Jews, the Muslims or the Catholics. The Catholics, despite constituting 75% of France's population, cannot openly wear a cross to school, apparently. But the country fails to appreciate that for a Sikh, it is much more difficult to hide his turban. The French government also clarified that the ban was only valid for schools and Sikhs were free to wear turbans on the streets, unlike the burqa, which is banned on the streets.

Punjab's ruling party, the Shiromani Akali Dal, has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explain to France about how the turban is "inextricably'' linked to followers of the Sikh faith.

Sikhism and the turban

Guru Gobind Singh advised every Sikh to carry a sword, take up the name Singh, and have his kesh (hair) and turban displayed boldly, without any fear, as expected of an aristocratic warrior, in contrast to a common peasant. Against this background, the turban is seen as a celebration of that psychological upliftment of a humble human being who had offered his services to Waheguru.

Spiritual thoughts on a turban

Further, there are spiritual thoughts associated with a turban. As a Sikh ties each layer around his head, he is said to wind in his own consciousness, his own commitment, his own identity. Another person looking at a Sikh just gives one glance and understands that you are someone to reckon with. Merely tying a turban and having hair on your head does not make one a Sikh. A turban also makes a Sikh deathless in the face of a direct confrontation with death.

The science of a turban

There's even a scientific reason behind the wearing of a turban. Wearing a head covering is believed to put one's sixth center, the agia chakra, at one's command. Covering one's head is said to stabilize one's cerebral matter and the 26 parts of the brain, which are interlocked with the neurological system and electromagnetic field. Covering one's head creates a focus of the functional circuit of the hemispheres of the brain, and tunes the neurological system. A turban is to be worn such that the whole head is covered, not just the crown chakra. The benefit of wearing a turban is that when you wrap the 5 to 7 layers of cloth, you cover the temples, which prevents any variance or movement in the different parts of the skull. A turban automatically gives you a cranial self-adjustment.

UK legislation

Before France, its neighboring country, the UK, too had something to say on the wearing of a turban by its huge Sikh population. These were the do's and don'ts by that country:

1. For Sikh people employed at construction site: Where employees or potential employees have particular cultural and religious needs which conflict with existing work requirements, it is recommended that employers should consider whether it is reasonably practical to vary or adapt these requirements to enable these needs to be met. For example, it is recommended that they should not refuse employment to a turbaned Sikh because he could not comply with unjustifiable uniform requirements.

2. S11 of the Employment Act 1989 exempts turban-wearing Sikhs from any requirements to wear safety helmets on a construction site. Where a turban-wearing Sikh is injured on a construction site, liability for injuries is restricted to the injuries that would have been sustained if the Sikh had been wearing a safety helmet.

3. Riding Motor Cycles: Sikhs who wear turbans need not wear crash helmets when they ride motor-cycles or scooters. They have been allowed to wear the turban as their only headgear. In accordance with the Motor-Cycle Crash Helmets (Religious Exemption) Act 1976 passed by the British Parliament in 1976, Section 2A "exempts any follower of the Sikh religion while he is wearing a turban", from having to wear a crash helmet.

By: Radhika Ravi Rajan on Feb 12, 2013