British Museum 17th Feb-17th April
Unravel the stories of this warrior?s turban and discover how and why turbans symbolise Sikh faith
and identity.
The magnificent turban on display in Room 3 is a rare example of a distinct type known as a dastaar boonga, literally meaning a ?towering fortress?. This style of turban was worn by a group of Sikhs called Akali Nihangs. These skilled warriors used this type of turban to hold their weapons, including daggers, swords and deadly throwing discs. Some Akali Nihangs still wear this type of turban today as a symbolic representation of this tradition.
It is unclear how long this turban has been in the Museum?s collection, but it originally dates from the late 19th century and had come to London by the early 1900s. The turban displayed weapons, including two double-edged swords, six throwing discs, and one dagger, and a badge of the 45th Rattray?s Sikh Battalion, which eventually became the 3rd Battalion Sikh Regiment of the present-day Indian Army.
The cloth in the original turban is now so fragile that Museum experts have had to use new fabric to display the weapons and badge. Members of the Sikh community, working closely with the Museum?s experts, have reconstructed how it would have looked using traditional tying techniques and 37 metres of cloth.
Come to this display to encounter a unique symbol of faith, and hear members of the Sikh community explain why the turban remains important to
them today.
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