Thousands of turbans tied to spread awareness about  Sikh Identity

I.S. Saluja

NEW YORK CITY(TIP): Many Sikh organizations across the U.S. have been much concerned with the attacks on turbaned Sikhs who were mistaken for being members of Al Qaeda or other Islamic terrorist groups. The 9/11 attacks on America created a serious issue with the Sikh identity. Sikh human rights organizations took upon themselves the responsibility of impressing upon administration to protect Sikhs against violent attacks. US administration did try to educate their personnel in the law enforcement and the TSA about the Sikhs being a peaceful people with no affiliations with Islamic terrorists. The education departments in various cities and states also tried to educate teachers and students about Sikh identity. But it appeared these efforts were not enough to  save Sikhs from being bullied and attacked.

Sikhs in America, as elsewhere, realized they needed to reach out to people in the streets to let them know about who they are. Thus was born an organization in New York by the name of Sikhs of New York. Their main objective was to spread awareness about who the Sikhs are. They wanted to let all know about their identity of which turban was the most visible form. The young volunteers of Sikhs of New York launched 2 years ago a movement to spread awareness about Sikhs.

What better place than the center of the Universe, Times Square in New York, for the movement’s success. They decided to organize turban tying at Times Square, once a year, close to their festival of nativity, Vaisakhi which falls in mid-April. Now Times Square has a footfall of hundreds of thousands every day. The tourists who throng the Times Square got attracted to the radiant colors of the turbans and to the force of the Bhangra beats. Many came for fun, had the turbans tied and enjoyed the music and, some went in for free snacks which were served with a lot of love. Well, serving free food is the major hallmark of Sikhism. The experiment of the Sikhs of New York proved successful. More and more people, particularly coming from rural areas where they had not seen a turbaned Sikh got to know who the Sikhs are, even though superficially. But it was a small step to a leap forward.

Volunteers from Sikhs of New York organized, April 7, the Turban Day and tied turbans on the heads of visitors while explaining the significance of a Turban for Sikhs and telling them about their religion.

Thousands of turbans were on the heads of people from different races, religions and nationalities in the city’s Times Square as Sikhs launched the annual series of Turban Day events to promote understanding of their faith and dispel stereotypes about the piece of attire.

The successful experiment of Turban day has inspired organizations elsewhere to organize a day to tie turbans and let visitors know about them and their faith.

A Turban Day celebration has been planned at the California state legislature building in Sacramento on April 12.

California State Assembly is expected to pass a resolution on that day recognizing April 12 as Vaisakhi in California that was proposed by assembly member Ash Kalra.

On April 13, Vaisakhi eve will be celebrated as International Turban Day by the Sikh Children Forum based in Fremont, California, “to popularize adoption of turban as a personal, religious and social symbol of identity amongst Sikh children and our no-turban wearing Sikh brothers and sisters”. It urges Sikhs who don’t usually wear turbans to wear them on that day as they go about their daily routine.