The Orange Turban As Part Of A Cultural Belief

By Jennie Sandoval


The origin of the wearing of an orange turban can be traced to cultural histories. It was said before that the cloth is a gift given by the guru to the shikh. The shikh is considered to be an anointed person who is expected to live an exemplary life apart from the usual extravagant and wasteful life lived by so many.

You would demand the same respect and understanding from the people who are also not used to your ways and traditions. However, cultural practices of certain religious groups do not easily get accepted in a certain area. This is particularly true when the people residing there are a bit stickler when it comes to the observance and implementations of their cultural beliefs and practices.

They believe that as a sign of respect to their God, they have to hide these hairs. They wrap the cloth around their head to keep the hairs from sticking out. They do not take off the cloth until only when they need to go and take a bath. Of course, when you wash your hair, the cloth wrapping it up has be to be taken off.

Children who keep their hairs with this cloth when going to school do not escape unscathed from the ridicule of other children. These children obviously do not understand yet the importance of religious practices. Their minds are not yet open to practices that are not similar to theirs.

That is what they were born to believe. So, it is hard to shake it off from their system in as much as you cannot help wonder why they have to do that because you think they look ridiculous in those garb because is not part to anything that you believe in. It is the children that suffer the most ridicule.

So when somebody sees them with it, they think they are crazy or some kind of a freak. Other say that people should be given the choice to wear it or not. But for kids who are under the supervision of their parents really do not have that much options when it comes to the wearing of such cloth over their head.

They are told that it is part of their customs and beliefs and that they should honor it by setting an example and actually doing the practice despite the disapproval look of the other people around. Some say that children should just go on with the whims of their parents when it comes to this custom. When they reach the legal age, they can choose to wear the cloth or not if they do not feel like.

Soon they will imposing the same religious practice with their own children someday. But kids will not understand right away especially given the huge peer pressure in school. There is a big contention whether kids should be given the right to follow their own choice or preference when it comes to the observance of such practices in their culture.

It goes both ways with your own social and cultural beliefs. That is why the only solution to the disparaging opinion of other people about others wearing the orange turban is acceptance, understanding and respect. Understand that it is other people's way of showing respect to the religious dogma that they believe in.




About the Author: