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For the village in Azerbaijan, see Dəstər. For the United States Supreme Court case, see Dastar Corp. v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
"Patka" redirects here. For the Finnish comedy character, see Pekka and Pätkä. For the village in Hungary, see Pátka.
A Sikh man wearing a dastar to cover his hair
Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, wearing a dastar. The turban is the most recognized symbol of the Sikh community.

A Dastaar (Punjabi: ਦਸਤਾਰ, dastāar, from Persian: دستار‎‎) or Pagṛi (Punjabi: ਪਗੜੀ) or Pagg (Punjabi: ਪੱਗ), is an item of headgear associated with Sikhism and is an important part of the Sikh culture. Wearing a Sikh dastaar, or turban, is mandatory for all Amritdhari (initiated) Sikh men and women.

Among the Sikhs, the Dastaar is an article of faith that represents honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa Sikh men and women, who keep the Five Ks, wear the turban partly to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The Khalsa Sikhs regard the Dastaar as an important part of the unique Sikh identity.


The Dastaar has been an important part of the Sikh religion since the time of the First Guru. Guru Angad Dev honoured Guru Amar Das with a special Dastaar when he was declared the next Guru. At the time when Guru Ram Das passed on, Guru Arjun Dev was honoured with the Dastaar of Guruship.

Marne di pag Pirthiye badhi. Guriyaee pag Arjan Ladhi[1]

Guru Gobind Singh, the last human Sikh Guru, wrote:


Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu, one of the earliest Sikh historians, wrote in Sri Gur Panth Parkash:[2]

Doi vele utth bandhyo dastare, pahar aatth rakhyo shastar sambhare
Tie your Dastaar twice a day and wear shaster (weapons to protect dharma), and keep them with care, 24 hours a day.
Take good care of your hair. Do not cut or damage your hair.


Nihang Abchal Nagar (Nihangs from Hazur Sahib), 1844. Shows turban-wearing Sikh soldiers with chakrams

In the Khalsa society, the turban signifies many virtues:

The Dastaar is a symbol of spirituality and holiness in Sikhism.
Honour and self-respect
The Dastaar is also a symbol of honour and self-respect. In the Punjabi culture, those who have selflessly served the community are traditionally honoured with turbans.
Piety and moral values
Friendship and relationship
Pag Vatauni ("exchange of turban") is a Punjabi custom, in which the men exchange Dastaars with their closest friends. Once they exchange turbans they become friends for life and forge a permanent relationship. They take a solemn pledge to share their joys and sorrows under all circumstances. Exchanging turban is a glue that can bind two individuals or families together for generations.

There are many Punjabi idioms and proverbs that describe how important is a Dastaar in one's life. Bhai Gurdas writes:[3]

("A man, after taking a bath at the well during winter time, forgot his Dastaar at the well and came home bareheaded.
When the women saw him at home without a Dastaar, they thought someone had died and they started to cry.")

Sign of Sikhism[edit]

Sikh men are easily recognized by their distinctive turbans

The Dastaar is considered an important part of the unique Sikh identity. The bare head is not considered appropriate as per gurbani. If a Sikh wants to become one with his/her Guru, he/she must look like a guru (wear a Dastaar). Guru Gobind Singh stated:

Khalsa mero roop hai khaas. Khalse me hau karo niwas.
("Khalsa is a true picture of mine. I live in Khalsa.")

Maintaining long hair and tying Dastaar is seen as a token of love and obedience of the wishes of Sikh gurus. A quote from Sikhnet:[4]

Styles of Dastaars[edit]

A Sikh boy wearing a patka
A Sikh boy wearing a rumāl (patka)
Men's Double Patti (Nok)
This is a very common Sikh turban style. It is very common in Punjab, India. The Nok is a double wide Dastaar. 6 meters of the Dastaar cloth are cut in half, then into two 3 meter pieces. They are then sewn together to make it Double wide, thus creating a "Double Patti," or a Nok Dastarr. This Dastaar is larger than most Sikh dastars, but contains fewer wraps around the head.
Chand Tora
This style of turban is generally worn by Nihang Sikh men . This is a warrior style Dastaar meant for going into battle. The "Chand Tora" is a metal symbol consisting of a crescent and a double edged sword, it is held in place at the front of the Dastaar by woven chainmail cord tied in a pattern within the Dastaar to protect the head from slashing weapons.
Amritsar Dhamala
This is the most common Dhamala Dastaar. It consists of:
  • one 5 meter piece (Pavo Blue)
  • one 11 meter piece any color, commonly sabz (white) and pavo blue. Both pieces are 35 cm wide, and referred to in Amritsar as Dhamala Material.
Basic Dhamala
This is a very simple and basic Dhamala Sikh Dastaar. This is the most popular turban among young Sikhs of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and also quite popular among those of Damdami Taksal in countries like America, the United Kingdom and Canada.
General Sikh Dastaar
Another common Sikh Dastaar style for men. Unlike the "double patti" Dastaar, the Dastaar is longer and goes 7 times around the head. If you use the "Notai" technique and have a big joora (hair knot), do not make it right in front at your forehead. You will end up tying the Dastaar on the joora, and it will make your Dastaar look very high and big. According to modern Punjabi style the last (larh) of Dastaar is given a "V" shape by using the Dastaar pin. Sikhs also use a specially designed Dastaar Needle (Punjabi:Salai,ਸਲਾਈ OR Baaj,ਬਾਜ) to tuck their hair inside from Dastaar and Patka and also to maintain Dastaar cleanliness.
Patka/Keski Dastaar
This is a common sikh Dastaar among young boys. It is normally used as more of a casual Pugree, or sometimes for sports. Commonly, this is a peela (shade of yellow) coloured turban. Contrary to popular belief Patkas are actually types of Dastaars.
Patiala Shahi Turban 
Nowadays this type of dastar is widely famous in boys.This type of dastar was first tied by Patiala King Bhupinder Singh.From his name the name of this type is originated 'Patiala Shahi'
Morni Pagg 
It is a very famous style of turban and is very pointed.

These are the basic Sikh Pugaree types. Turban theory states that the main pugaree types are starting points, and anyone can invent their own Dastaar styles.

In May 2009, The Times of India reported that British researchers were trying to make a "bulletproof turban" that would allow the Sikhs in the British police to serve in firearms units.[5]

Harassment faced by turban-wearing Sikhs[edit]

2004 Poster: Common Sikh Headcoverings

After the September 11, 2001 attacks in USA, a number of Dastaar-wearing Sikhs faced assaults by some Americans who confused them with Muslims, who were being associated with terrorism.[6][7] The United States Department of Justice worked with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) to issue a poster aimed at getting Americans acquainted with Sikh turbans.[8]

Conflicts with civil law[edit]

Indian troops man a Bren gun during the World War 2, Western Desert Campaign. The Sikh soldier is wearing a Dastaar, his non-Sikh companion is wearing a Brodie steel helmet

In modern times, there have been conflicts between Sikhs – especially those outside India – and laws which conflict with always wearing a Dastaar. Sikh soldiers refused to wear helmets during World War I and World War II. Many Sikhs have refused to remove the Dastaar even in jails. Sikh scholar and social activist Bhai Randhir Singh underwent a fast to be able to wear a Dastaar in prison.

In the UK in 1982, the headmaster of a private school refused to admit an orthodox Sikh as a pupil unless he removed the Dastaar and cut his hair. This led to the long legal battle, Mandla v. Dowell Lee, a case which contributed to the creation of the legal term "ethno-religious".[9][10]

In Canada in 1990, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Baltej Singh Dhillon, an RCMP officer, should be allowed to wear a Dastaar while on duty. See the case of Grant v. Canada A.G (1995) 125 D.L.R. (4th) 556 (F.C.A.) aff'd (1994) 81 F.T.R. 195 (F.C.T.D.)(Reed J.) where the court said that the Sikh RCMP officer had a constitutional right to wear his Dastaar and that the government’s decision to accommodate him was required to protect freedom of religion:

"The defendants and the intervenors, particularly the able argument of Ms. Chotalia for the Alberta Civil Liberties Association, turn the plaintiffs' argument respecting discrimination on its head. They argue that the Commissioner's decision was designed to prevent discrimination occurring to Khalsa Sikhs. As such they argue that that decision offends none of the provisions of the Charter, indeed that it is required by section 15 of the Charter." para 103 Shirish Chotalia, Alberta lawyer, represented the Sikh Society of Calgary, the Alberta Civil Liberties Association, and the Friends of the Sikhs, pro bono.[11]

In the United States in 2002, Jasjit Singh Jaggi, a Sikh traffic policeman employed with the New York Police Department, was forced to leave his job because he insisted on wearing a Dastaar on duty. He petitioned with the New York Human Rights Commission, and in 2004 a US judge ruled that he should be reinstated.[12]

In France in 2004, the Sikh community protested against the introduction of a law prohibiting the display of any religious symbols in state-run schools.[13][14] The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee urged the French Government to review the bill, stating that the ban would have grave consequences for the Sikhs.[15] The Government of India discussed the matter with the French officials, who stated that an exception for turbaned Sikh boys in French public schools was not possible.[16]

In 2007, the Canadian government introduced new procedures for accommodation of Sikhs in regard to passport photos, driver licensing, and other legal licensing. This bill was also supported by the Sikh Council of Canada.

In April 2009, Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi and 2nd Lt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan challenged a U.S. Army order that they remove their turbans and shave their beards.[17] In March 2010, Rattan became the first Sikh to graduate Army Officer School at Fort Sam Houston since the exemption was eliminated in 1984; a waiver was granted for his religion. Kalsi will also attend basic training.[18]

In Ireland, Ravinder Singh Oberoi applied to become a member of the Garda (police) Reserve (a voluntary, unpaid position) but was not permitted to wear a Dastar. He unsuccessfully claimed discrimination on grounds of race and religion; the High Court ruled in 2013 on a preliminary issue that he could not claim under employment equality legislation as he was not an employee and was not in vocational training.[19]

Instances of acceptance[edit]

In 2012 British media reported that a Guardsman of the Scots Guards Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar became the first Sikh to guard Buckingham Palace wearing a Dastaar instead of the traditional bearskin.[20][21]

Helmet exemption[edit]

In several parts of the world, Sikh riders are exempted from legal requirements to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle or a bicycle, which cannot be done without removing the Dastaar. These places include India Nepal and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.[11] Other places include Malaysia[citation needed], Singapore[citation needed], Thailand[citation needed], the United Kingdom[22] and Queensland, Australia.[23]

In 2008, Baljinder Badesha, a Sikh man living in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, lost a court case in which he challenged a $110 ticket received for wearing a Dastaar instead of a helmet while riding his motorcycle.[11][24][25]

In September 2016 a court in Quebec, Canada, ruled that Sikh truck drivers working at the Port of Montreal must wear hard hats when required for safety reasons, effectively requiring them to remove their Dastaar. The judge stated that their safety outweighed their religious freedom. Previously Sikh drivers were able to avoid wearing hard hats if they remained within their vehicle, but this increased the loading times and was not commercially acceptable.[26]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ "Partakh Hari," Jiwni Guru Arjan Dev Ji, by Principal Satbir Singh
  2. ^ Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu. Sri Gur Granth Parkash. Page 78.
  3. ^ Vara(n) Bhai Gurdas, Var 32, pauri 19
  4. ^ Learn How To Tie Different Sikh Turbans
  5. ^ Bulletproof turbans for Sikh cops. The Times of India. 8 May 2009.
  6. ^ "Sikh attacked in another hate crime in New York". CNN-IBN. 2008-01-27. Retrieved 2008-01-27. 
  7. ^ Vanessa Garnica (2003-04-18). "Sikhs: Turbans don't mean terrorism". The Oracle. Retrieved 2008-01-25. [permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "US initiative to explain turbans". The Tribune, Chandigarh. 2004-12-16. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  9. ^ "Turban or not turban — that is the question (Mandla v. Dowell Lee)". Liverpool Law Review. Netherlands: Springer. 5 (1): 75–90. March 1983. doi:10.1007/BF01079986. 
  10. ^ Moore, Joan Brooke (1985). The politics of litigating discrimination : a case study of Mandla v. Dowell Lee (Thesis). University of Oxford. OCLC 123433705. 
  11. ^ a b c Precedents buoy Sikh's turban fight, lawyer says
  12. ^ "Sikh policeman wins turban case". BBC News. 2004-04-30. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  13. ^ Rana, Yudhvir (2004-01-06). "French turban ban gets Sikh group into action". The Times of India. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  14. ^ Ranvir Nayar (2004-01-17). "French Sikhs defend the turban". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  15. ^ Rana, Yudhvir (2004-03-24). "SGPC urges French govt to review turban ban". The Times of India. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  16. ^ "France can't make exceptions on turban ban: Envoy". CNN-IBN. 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  17. ^ "Sikhs fight Army over bans on turbans, uncut hair". CNN. 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
  18. ^ 1st Sikh in decades graduates Army Officer School
  19. ^ ''Garda Commissioner v Singh Oberoi'' [2013] IEHC 267.
  20. ^ English, Rebecca (11 December 2012). "Sikh soldier makes history as he guards Buckingham Palace wearing turban instead of traditional bearskin". Daily Mail. DMG Media. Retrieved 14 December 2012. 
  21. ^ "Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar, Sikh Soldier, Wears Turban On Buckingham Palace Guard Duty". The Huffington Post. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2014. 
  22. ^ Motor-Cycle Crash Helmets (Religious Exemption) Act 1976
  23. ^ Sikh cyclist in Australia wins right not to have to wear a helmet
  24. ^ Sikhs have worn helmets 'throughout their history'
  25. ^ Douglas, Pam (2008-03-15). "Sikh, backers to appeal motorcycle helmet ruling". The Star. Toronto. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  26. ^ "Quebec Sikh workers must wear safety helmets when required, judge rules | Toronto Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2016-09-23.