Massive Nihang Turban!
Waheguru! Just looking at this picture makes my neck hurt. It’s a good thing my wife Arjan is a Chiropractor and can look after my neck. Hehe… The turban is massive! Someone sent me this picture and I am always amazed when I see these types of pictures. Does anyone know why some Nihangs wear turbans this large? It doesn’t seem practical so there must be some spiritual reason. It does get a lot of attention though. No hiding in the crowd dressed like this :)
Picture by Capt. Ravinder Pal Singh in Amritsar
Ps. Gurinder Singh (UK) just forwarded me a video link which is from a news story of this same Sikh (“Major Singh Nihang”). It even looks like from the same day of the picture. Apparently he was trying to set the world record for the largest turban (It is over 400 meters of cloth!). His mission is to inspire Sikh youth and revive turbans in a community where many are cutting their hair or just wearing hats. Watch the video below:
16 Responses to “Massive Nihang Turban!”
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Is this practical??
Well, it seems practical in a sense that the head would always be protected and snugged, but like Gurumustuk said, neck pain is something that would have to be dealt with wearing a huge turban like this. I don’t think it has any more spiritual significance than an ordinary dastar.
The story behind this (as I heard it) is as follows:
Guru Gobind Singh’s two eldest sons were vigorously training and practicing martial arts together. The next youngest Sahibzada Zorawar Singh who was much younger was eager to join in with them at that full force adult level of training. They told him he was to young and to be patient, that when he was bigger and taller he would be permitted.
Sahibzada Zorawar Singh went away. He came back a short while later and had tied his Damala in a way that made his total height just as tall as his two elder brothers. He then challenged them that now he was ready.
Guru Gobind Singh loved his spirit and determination and said it was an example of how his Sikhs should be. … That is one part of it.
Another part is: During a point in a battle a detachment of Sikhs carrying the Nishan Sahib of the Khalsa was overrun and wiped out by the enemy. An army’s flag is sacred and a rallying image. When concern over the loss of the flag was reported to Guru Gobind Singh he tore off a piece of cloth and attached it to his own turban. He instructed them to do the same and so raised the flag upon the very heads of his brave Sikhs.
To this day Nihang Singhs who’s knowledge, words, and deeds exemplify the principals of a Khalsa warrior are acknowledged the right to wear this Farla on their Damala. According to the tradition today; it is not something that one just decides to wear one day because they want to. It is appropriate that five elder Singh’s who do wear it may bestow this duty and order upon a Sikh who they deem appropriate and befitting.
…continued
Tying Damala in the manner pictured is more recent. Historically they would tie them tall but not so wide and huge that it might hinder martial readiness.
In any case it is certainly in the vein of the above traditions; a fierce proclamation of sovereignty.
Sarib, thanks for sharing this. It’s all very interesting to learn the history of these things.
You never know though…one could slowly build the damalla size and have a strong neck like an Ox and the ability to hold such a massaive turban with easy.
I think it wouldn’t so much be a matter of strength, but rather speed and agility.
Think about how fast they must have moved in combat, on horseback etc.
Thanks for such an awesome blog!
history says that when muslim people caputered india about 1000 years ago.they killed many thousands of hindu people.the muslim people ruled over india about 1000 years.they banned somethings on hindu people.
1 hindu person cannot ride a horse
2hindu person cannot tie a turban
3hindu person cannot make a good and double storey house
4hindu person cannot have a hawk
5hindu person cannot have a beautiful daughter.if he had then he must give his beautiful daughter to a muslim person
6hindu person can not make a beautiful garden.
7hindu person should not be a brave and intelligent person.if he is a like this then he must adopt islaam.
on that time hindu people were living like a dead body.no conscience no brave ness like a slave.so the sikh people break these rules one by one.perhaps nihang singhs make like this big turban to tell this that we don`t care your antihuman rules.this was like a revolt against unjustice and crime
It was really heart warming to see this video.
There are many pictures of Nihang Major Singh available on http://www.amritworld.com. For example: http://www.amritworld.com/hola/m33.html .
Also, I don’t think he wears this version of dumalla every day, it’s probably reserved for special occasions/festivals and of course in spreading the cause–I say keep going at it :)
dummalla / dastar should be big enough to protect our head from all possible angles of impact. Dastar also protects our dasam duar.
Poor Bhai Sahib struggled to do Matha Tekh with a suge a huge Dastaar. He must have a strong neck and good balance. (he looks strong).
A relative of mine said that a historian visiting Afghanistan interviewed the locals about the Sikhs of the past.
They commented that during battles you could see the Singhs on the hills and they would look seven feet tall (with their huge dummallas) and they would echoe loud jaikaare… seeing their height (projected through their large tall dummallas) and loud Jaikaare many people wound run scared.
Dhan Guru, Dhan Guru Pyaare.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
This dumalla is just amazing i think everyone should learn about why we wear dastars and why do nihang singh wear big ones. Lots of people think nihang singhs are bad but not all, yes, you are not supoose to do BHANG buh not everyone does it, So by looking at this nihang singh i think lots of people would love to tie dastars and look beautiful as others do!
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
wowsers, i wonder how much his dastar weighs
Its a well known fact in the various parts of the world, that warriors during war would wear large head gears. These tall/large head gear would make them look large. Look at various known warriors of yesteryears including Alexander the great. His big helmet along with an equally large plumage made him look more powerful, more leader like.
All this was to intimidate the enemy or prove oneself to be the alpha amongst the males.
where r u from buddy r u frm india mumbai n you worked in hong kong.R u the same