Dastaars

Since the first guru to the 10th worldy Guru, each one wore a dastaar/turban.

When i was younger, i started off with a little joora, then moved onto patka then finally dastaar.

However, even when i tied a dastaar it was very small. Literally as small as it could be so it looked more like a hat from a distance than a dastaar. I'd often wear hoods to cover it up.

This all changed last year, i attended a keertan smagaam and everyone had the most beautiful dastaars on. The bigger they were the more I liked them, as soon as i got home i tied myself a big dastaar. It felt really wierd and awkward at the time, but after i spent a couple of hours that night retying it it felt good.

The real test was the next day, when i would go to work and expect people to say things. I was in utter shock when all i got were compliments, and from that day forth i wear my dastaar with pride. It makes us look different to everyone else, reminds us not to do bad things as we represent Guru Gobind Singh Ji and personally makes me feel honoured everytime i wear it.

We must respect our dastaars, for example we must keep them clean as possible and certainly not let them touch the floor even when we are tying them. In a way, they are not our dastaars - they are Guru Ji's - as he blessed us with it.

Now i have mixed feelings, when i go to the gurudwara and see sikhs with small "shakini" type dastaars on i get angry, but when i remember how i used to be (probably worse) it brings me back to earth. It is only when Guru does kirpa that we realise how important it is to tie a dastaar, that actually looks like a dastaar.

Saying this, we must make some effort ourselves - Guru Ji isnt going to come from heaven and tie a beatuful dastaar on our heads, we have to do it ourselves. and yes - people might make comments, but alot of people dont even believe in God.

We musnt disrespect our dastaars, or let others disrespect them - because they are a blessing given to us from our father. (Guru Gobind Singh Ji).