Turban/Safa

Coloured and patterned turbans are a part and parcel of a man's clothing in Rajasthan. The length and style of a turban varies from community to community. This can be easily understood by the fact that a pagari measures 52 feet in length and 9 inches in width while a safa is 30 feet long and 4 feet wide. All over Rajasthan, a turban is considered to be symbol of pride and it signifies gallantry. Turbans / Pagri / SafasIf someone publicly appears without a turban in Rajasthan, it is seen as grossly inconvenient and immoral. Other local terms used to refer to a turban include pencha or sela, apart from pagari and safa. It's the size and style of the turban that puts them in a particular category and makes them distinct from one another.

Traditionally, turbans or safas are worn in northern India on wedding occasions. However, turbans have come into fashion widely across India and the world. As per Indian tradition and culture, it is of utmost importance to wear a turban on the groom's wedding day. To make these turbans more attention grabbing, kalgi (a small brooch) and feathers are also attached to the front of the safa.

According to modern style, turbans for wedding and other traditional celebrations can be of the following types.

Rajasthani Turban
Jodhpuri turban or Rajasthani Safa are equally popular both with locals and foreigners. These multicoloured turbans are quite in demand by tourists coming to India. Decorated with embroidery patterns, the Rajasthani turban is just the right option to be worn with Sherwanis and Jodhpuri suits.

Bambaiya Turban (with kalgi)
These turban styles belong to the western India, specifically to the state of Maharashtra. When the Bambaiya turban is worn on the head along with the elegant kalgi and feathers, it highly enhances the look and appearance.

Afghani Turban (Muslim tradition)
In the Muslim community, it is termed as 'safa', usually shorter but broader than a pagari. These turbans are available both in plain form and embroidered form.

To suit an individual's purpose and taste, a turban can either be light in weight or heavier. Handwork including zari work from silver and gold thread is done to create elegant embroidery patterns on the turban. To make turbans more ornate, beads, pearls, precious and semi precious stones are used. Usually, turbans are made of Ghatchola silk, Chunri cloth (Panchrangi), Tissue cresh, Zari fabric etc.