ARTICLE:THE TALE OF THE TURBAN

( Reported from Jodhpur for TWF)

Madan Singh Bhati whose official attire in the Meharangarh museum as a guide compels him to wear the turban everyday hangs around like any other city lad without this head gear, outside the fort. Ask him why and he says wryly. “The safa is something that is associated with a country bumpkin in the city, unless of course you are the Maharaja,” and you are left wondering… a nine meter long cloth which is popularly known as the safa is these parts, is able to make such a sweeping class distinction? Well in Rajasthan it does .It is infact akin to a DNA stamp, a bio data, a protective device and a utilitarian tool, all rolled into one, for them. Apart from its huge symbolic significance of representing honour and royal power, its size, its style of wrapping and its colour is a nifty way of proclaiming an entire heritage. It may at best be likened to a military outfit which is not merely a piece of clothing or a uniform. Just as its multicoloured ribbons, stars, formation signs, lanyards and caps disclose the units, postings, ranks and designations of army personnel, each safa too has a story to tell in these parts of our country.

It infact plays a myriad and significantly different role than that the turban worn by the Sikh community. The Sikhs were instructed by the tenth and last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) to wear their God-given, unshorn hair under a turban, in an attempt to distinguish them as a warrior sect. While the Sikh turban sought to end all caste distinctions and vehemently opposed stratification of society by all means, the safas of Rajasthan on the other hand chronicled the most amazing evolution of a nine meter long mantle, distinguishing class, creed, sect and occasion in the most creative way. Shorn of its social and cultural significance today it may be worn mostly as a ceremonial outfit in the city. Nevertheless it gives away vital information on an individual simply in the distinctive style of wrapping it.

In the last one and a half century the Khatris, the Nihangs , the Akalis and the Sikhs may have evolved their distinctive styles but all practicing Sikhs wear the turban out of love and as a mark of commitment to the faith. Infact this is how it is usually regarded by all ancient turban wearers from Central Asia and Arab countries. One of God’s commandments to Moses was to wear turban as the symbol of prophethood, holiness and divine power. An insult to the turban meant unbearable insult to one's personality, a blotch on one's character. So it was during the time of Old Testament prophets, and so it is now among the turban wearers of India, Babylon, Arab countries and so on. Just as sharing turbans is a sign of brotherhood and love, taking away turban by force means defeat and humiliation. One humorous incident narrated by the Sikh apostle, Bhai Gurdas Ji mentions an elderly Punjabi coming home with his turban accidentally off. The women folk in the home immediately started weeping and wailing although no one was dead. The old man's turban, off his head, sent a false alarm of some unfortunate happening and the women folk took it to be a sign of mourning. The Egyptians removed the turban at the time of mourning, a custom which prevailed in the Punjab up to the end of the last century. Though interestingly the brave and the holy are neither supposed to weep, nor lament, nor take off their turban.

In this safar( journey) the Rajasthani safa goes a little further to create a niche of it own. Since it is not a religious requirement it is more flexible and extensive in its purpose. For one in Rajasthan you still find the Hindu population wearing bright colours to signify festivity and white to signify death.Infact they can go to the extent of marking each season with a change in the turban colour. While for Holi a white turban with red tie and dye ends are worn, during rainy season it will be “leheriya”.Each class of people have their own assigned colours, every traditional family its own style of wrapping it around- which is discernible even from a distance .The colourful dots that cover the dry sand landscape not merely add some colour to it, it is more informative than a smoke signal.
In the deserts of Rajasthan, reminded the Cultural Director of the Meherangarh Museum Trust, the turban cloth has many practical uses. It is complete tool kit for the rustic folks. This soft muslin may be used as a rope to draw water from a well, or used as a sieve to strain it or soak it as need be. In an emergency it is often used as a bandage and even a mosquito net. For the itinerant bakarwal it is a jhola where he carries a few personal belongings in a lurch .But most often than not it is very functional hiding, mirrors, combs, loose coins, chilam and tobacco in its multiple wraps.

No more in vogue among the city dwellers the new generation represented by Bhati stoke up the most daunting question – Like the Jootas, the Jodhpuris and the Swords, the symbols of the once glorious Marwar is this unique headgear about to be extinct too?
Or will it make a swanky come back someday even if only as a fashion statement? Hopefully it will make a few more rounds .It cannot be the end of its safar yet.