Sikh children at the World Turban Day in Amritsar. |
Amritsar (KP) - Akal Purakh Ki Fauj celebrated Vaisakhi day by teaching the future generation on how to tie a turban. The students all wore Kesri (Saffron) turbans and entered into Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's Darbar to do Ardas. The ardas consisted of the youth taking an oath to always respect the turban. Before they took the oath though, the students were taught the importance of turban and what it represented.
Akal Purakh Ki Fauj joined with the Sikh Children's Forum and volunteers from all over the world to celebrate World Sikh Turban Day. The organizers of the event were not dissapointed, as they got an overwhelming response from the youth.
The events that were organized in North America included teaching the younger generation on how to tie the turban as well as providing the students with colourful turbans.
Over the years Sikhs have had to fight many legal battles to win the right to wear their turban. In Canada alone, there are two Sardars, Mr. Gurbax Singh Malhi and Mr. Navdeep Singh Bains in the Canadian Parliment. Sikhs with turbans are now allowed to join the RCMP without facing any problems. Since 9/11, Sikhs have also had to contend with the problem of being misunderstood and misrepresented. Currently, a fight is going on in France where students are being banned from wearing the turban in school.
This event was an important way to enlighten others about who a Sikh is, who wears the turban, as well as teaching the youngsters how to tie the turban.
Other events will be held in the future which include Sardars appearing in fashion shows around the world, and having turban tying competitions for the youth in order to get them more involved.
Gurleen Kaur can be reached at .
