Why do Sikhs wear turbans?
A. Sikhs are required to have their hair uncut as ordained by their tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as part of the Amrit Sanchar ceremony and the Creation of the Khalsa. It is for this reason, in order to keep the hair tidy and manageable, that the Sikh wear the Turban. The word Turban originating in Persian and used to describe the various scarfs and clothes used to cover the heads of the people indiginous of that area. The term is now used loosely in English functioning as an umbrella term to describe all cloth headdresses. The Dastar is what Sikh people adorn although similiar but an altogether different headdress. Also, it is a tradition of Sikhs and others from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan to cover their head as a matter of respect for elders and spiritually elevated people. It would be a sign of disrespect if one was to enter a Gurdwara’s Darbar Sahib with the head uncovered.
