Dastar

A dastār (ਦਸਤਾਰ/دستار, from دستار; dast or "hand" with the agentive suffix -ār; also known as a ਪੱਗ paga or ਪੱਗੜੀ pagaṛī in Punjabi) is an item of headwear associated with Sikhism, and is an important part of Sikh culture. The word is loaned from Persian through Punjabi. In Persian, the word dastār can refer to any kind of turban and replaced the original word for turban, dolband (دلبند), from which the English word is derived. Among the Sikhs, the dastār is an article of faith that represents equality, honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa Sikh men and women, who keep the Five Ks, wear the turban to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The Sikhs regard the dastār as an important part of the unique Sikh identity. After the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, was sentenced to death by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru created the Khalsa and gave five articles of faith, one of which is unshorn hair, which the dastār covers. The dastār has been an important part of the Sikh religion since the time of the First Guru, Guru Nanak who honoured Guru Angad Dev who honoured Guru Amar Das with a special dastār when he was declared the next Guru. When Guru Ram Das died, Guru Arjan was honoured with the dastār of Guruship. Marne di pag Pirthiye badhi. Guriyaee pag Arjan Ladhi Guru Gobind Singh, the last human Sikh Guru, wrote: Kangha dono vaqt kar, paag chune kar bandhai. ("Comb your hair twice a day and tie your turban carefully, turn by turn.") Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu, one of the earliest Sikh historians, wrote in Sri Gur Panth Parkash: Doi vele utth bandhyo dastare, pahar aatth rakhyo shastar sambhare Kesan ki kijo pritpal, nah(i) ustran se katyo vaal Tie your dastār 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 your hair by blade. In the Khalsa society, the turban signifies many virtues: Equality The Sikh society is an egalitarian one, and free of gender, religion, race, nationality or sexual orientation.