Your are invited to the 6th annual Turban Competition:

April 13, 2008 at 3:00 PM located at the Bombay Banquet Hall.

International Turban Day Competition was started by AM1550, 6 years ago and continues to hold the largest Turban Competition in North America for various reasons:

1. To promote the Identity of the Sikh’s as this is a prominent symbol of the Sikh faith

2. To keep the Sikh Youth and Non-Turban Sikh adults connected to the culture and religion

3. To educate other communities about the Turban and its significance to the religion

4. To further support the Turban-Dhari Sikh brothers and sisters

What are the rules for the competition? 

Criteria:

- Various categories based on age, gender, time, neatness, appearance, etc.

- There is No age limit for the competition.

- The competition will be judged by approximately 4-5 judges per category.

Other items that will happen during the event for fulfill everyone’s thirst for the Sikh culture, these include:

- Turban tying demonstration

- Speeches regarding history and the significance

- Current issues throughout the world regarding the turban

- Punjabi cultural events (bhangra and singing)

- Free dinner

- Awards ceremony for recognition of the local citizens of the Sikh Community

 
Isn't it considered immoral to take a turban off in public? Perhaps you could explain how the competition will deal with this?

It is not immoral to take off a turban in public, although it is considered disrespectful. This competition is about knowledge and understanding of the turban and this being a special case for educational purposes, it will not be considered immoral.

What's the reaction from the community so far? (a lot of interest/skepticism?)

There is and has been a strong interest within the community at large to support and celebrate International Turban Day. This event has been running for 6 years and continues to prosper.

What is International Turban Day? (when did it start, why, how is it celebrated in India?)

A day that the people of the Sikh faith celebrate the symbolic and religious significance of the turban. During the past few years the Turban has been criticized, questioned and has been attacked from various parts of the world. This has happened from within the Sikh community and also from other communities, governments, religious groups and other organizations throughout the world.

These include:

o            The French ban on turbans in public schools.

o            Attacks on Sikhs following the 9/11 attacks.

o            General low esteem among turban users due to vanity, ridicule and taunting from
others.

o            General perception is that the majority of our girls prefer clean-shaven Sikhs.

o            Job opportunities affected by turban users.

o            Sikhs with turbans are termed medieval and archaic.

o            Sikhs arriving in foreign lands removing their turbans at the 1st opportunities

Therefore, the Sikh Turban day has been established to break down the skepticism and negative associations within the larger community.

There are similar events that celebrate the Turban in India and throughout the world.

Do people need to sign up in advance?

Signing up in advance is recommended, but not required. You may sign up once you arrive at the venue. 

The Sikh Turban is known as the dastaar and is an article of faith that has been made mandatory by the 10^th Guru of Sikhism. This was due to a time where only kings, royalty and people of high stature wore turbans, and thus this majority of people in India at this time was comprised of lower caste people and was adopted to uplift the inequalities of the society.

When the turban is worn it becomes one and the same with the person’s head. The turban and other Sikh articles that are worn are a spiritual significance. The turban has many symbolic meanings such as sovereignty, dedication, self-respect, courage and piety, although the main practicing reason the turban is worn is out of love and obedience for the Sikh faith. The Sikh faith and turban has stood up against oppression (lower castes in India), tyranny in WWI, and the Nazi empire in WWII.

Please see enclosed Sikh Turban Day flyer for more information or contact

Professor Gurwinder Singh Dhaliwal, the event coordinator at

604-825-1550 or singhnews@gmail.com.

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you!