Why Are There Different Turban Styles?

Style and color may reflect association with particular group of Sikhs, religious conviction, or fashion. There are many different styles and colors of turban. A longer turban is usually worn in a formal setting such as a business occasion, a wedding, a religious program, or celebration. Popular colors are blue, black, white, and orange. Red is often worn for weddings. A woman’s head scarf, or veil, is traditionally coordinated with whatever she happens to be wearing. It may be solid color or have a variety of contrasting colors. Many have decorative embroidery.
Turbans also come in variety of fabrics from light weight to heavy such as:

• Mal Mal - A very lightweight fine fabric.
• Voile - A lightweight weave.
• Rubia - A medium weight dense weave.
• 
  

Turban styles include but are not limited to:

• Domalla - Double length turban of 10 or more yards or meters.
• Pagri - Double width turban of five to six yards or meters.
• Dastar - A single turban of four to six yards or meters.
• Keski - A short turban of two or more yards or meters.
• Patka - A square of half to one yard or meter, tied over the joora (top knot) and head.
• Fifty - A half yard or meter worn beneath turban usually in contrasting or decorative color.

Scarf Styles include but are not limited to:

• Chunni - A sheer lightweight veil of up to two and half yards, or meters, usually one solid color and may or may not have embroidery.
• Dupatta - A double wide decorative veil of up to two and half yards, or meters, often embroidered on fabric of contrasting colors.
• Rumal - Any square or triangular cloth worn as a head cover.