Pagri, sometimes also transliterated as pagari, is the term for
turban
A turban (from Persian دولبند, ''dulband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with promin ...
used in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...
. It specifically refers to a
headdress that is worn by men and women, which needs to be manually tied. Other names include ''sapho''.
Cloth
A pagri is usually a long plain unstitched cloth. The length may vary according to the type. The cloth indicates the region and the community of the wearer.
Specific styles
''khirki-dār-pagari''
Methods of binding the pagri are innumerable, and khirki-dar-pagri is one particular style of dressing the turban. Khirki-dar-pagri means the turban with a window. Brocade piece may decorate the turban.
Paag
The paag is a headdress in the
Mithila region of
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...
and in
Mithila, Nepal
Madhesh Province ( Nepali/ mai, मधेश प्रदेश) is a province of Nepal that was formed after the adoption of the Constitution of Nepal. It is Nepal's most populous province, and smallest province by area. It borders Province N ...
.
Pheta
Pheta is the
Marathi name for the traditional
turban
A turban (from Persian دولبند, ''dulband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with promin ...
worn in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. In ceremonies such as
weddings
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage v ...
, festive and cultural and religious celebrations as well it is common to wear Pheta. In many parts it is customary to offer male dignitaries a traditional welcome by offering a ''Pheta'' to wear. A traditional ''Pheta'' is usually long cloth typically 3.5 to 6 metres long and 1 metre wide. The choice of colour may indicate the occasion for which it is being worn and also may be typical to the place it is being worn in. Typical colours include Saffron (to indicate
valour) and White (to indicate
peace
Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...
). In the past, wearing a Pheta was considered a mandatory part of clothing.
There are several styles of Pheta which are specific to regions, for example
*
Kolhapur
Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarter of the Kolhapur district. In, around 2 C.E. Kolapur's name was 'Kuntal'.
Kolhapur is ...
i and
Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
ri
pheta
Pheta ( mr, फेटा) is the Marathi name for the distinctive traditional turban worn in Maharashtra, India.
In ceremonies such as weddings, as well as festive, cultural, and religious celebration, it is common to wear Pheta. In many ar ...
* Mawali pagadi (traditionally worn by
Maratha
The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed a ...
warriors from the Mawal region of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
)
*
Mahatma Phule pagadi famously worn by the Maharashtrian reformer, the activist from whom it gets the name.
Peta
The ''peta'' is a turban worn in
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...
and
Kodagu, it is the traditional indigenous attire worn by the erstwhile
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
s of
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...
, called the
Wodeyar
The Wadiyar dynasty (formerly spelt Wodeyer or Odeyer, also referred to as the Wadiyars of Mysore), is a late-medieval/ early-modern South Indian Hindu royal family of former kings of Mysore from the Urs clan originally based in Mysore city. ...
s (1399 to 1947), of the Kingdom of Mysore. Wodeyars wore a richly bejeweled turban made of
silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from th ...
and jari (
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
threaded
lace
Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...
) to match with colourful dresses as part of the royal dress.
Administrators under the
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
, such as the
Dewans
''Dewan'' (also known as ''diwan'', sometimes spelled ''devan'' or ''divan'') designated a powerful government official, minister, or ruler. A ''dewan'' was the head of a state institution of the same name (see Divan). Diwans belonged to the e ...
' (Prime Minister appointed by the King) and other senior officials who swayed considerable power in matters of state administration also donned the Mysore peta.
After India became independent in 1947 and the princely state merged with the Indian union, the traditional Mysore peta has been retained as a symbol of heritage and cultural antecedents and distinguished people are honoured by the award of a Mysore peta with a
shawl
A shawl (from fa, شال ''shāl'',) is a simple item of clothing from Kashmir, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, which is often folde ...
in formal functions.
Rajasthani pagari
Turbans worn in
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern ...
are referred to as the ''pagari''. They vary in style, colour and size. They also indicate a wearer's social class, caste, region and the occasion it being worn for. Its shape and size may also vary with the climatic conditions of the different regions. Turbans in the hot desert areas are large and loose. Farmers and shepherds, who need constant protection from the elements of nature, wear some of the biggest turbans. The Rajasthani turban also has many practical functions. Exhausted travellers use it as a pillow, a blanket or a towel. It can be used to strain muddy water. An unravelled turban can also be used as a rope to draw water from a well with a bucket.
Prominent styles are ''pencha'', ''sela'' and ''safa'', although several local variants exist. A conventional ''pagari'' is usually 82 inches long and 8 inches wide. A ''Safa'' is shorter and broader. Ordinarily a turban of a single colour is worn. However, turbans of one of more colours may be worn by the elite or during special occasions such as festivals or weddings, etc. Rajasthani turbans are a prominent tourist attraction. Tourists are often encouraged to participate in turban-tying competitions.
Vedic Kshatriya Pagri
Vedic Kshatriyas used a large turban consisting of two cloths, one to tie the turban and one to cover the turban completely. The second cloth used to cover the turban is saffron. This sheath contains ''kshātra-shaktī'' (Energy of a warrior) and ''dnyān-shaktī''. The turban acts like a crown on the head. A protective sheath is created around the head because of the turban. Therefore, the individual does not imbibe negative vibrations from the environment. The turban reduces the extent of distressing covering around individual’s intellect, and creates a ''bhāv'' of renunciation in the individual. This tradition died out when the pure Kshatriya society was slowly drawn away from its culture and went into standing armies.
Peshawari pagri
Peshawari pagri has been traditionally worn in
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
. It includes a cap called ''kulla'' and the cloth wrapped around it called ''lungi''.
Association with figure of speech
A pagri is a symbol of honour and respect in all the regions where it is a practice to wear one. Its association with honour also lends its use in a
figure of speech
A figure of speech or rhetorical figure is a word or phrase that intentionally deviates from ordinary language use in order to produce a rhetorical effect. Figures of speech are traditionally classified into '' schemes,'' which vary the ordinary ...
in associated languages. The figure of speech ''pagri uchaalna'' in
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
(literal translation: to toss the turban) implies causing the loss of honour.
Recognition of communities
Different communities in Rajasthan are recognized by the colours and patterns on their pagris. The Kevat community wears only red Bandhani turban at all occasions. Jat community in Narwa village wears a bright yellow turban.
Pagri in Ancient India: from major museums
File:Jetvan bharhut.JPG, Bharhut, donation of Anathapindika, Shunga period
File:Gandhara,grande partenza di buddha, 100-300.JPG, The Great Departure
The Great Renunciation or Great Departure is the traditional term for the departure of Gautama Buddha ( BCE) from his palace at Kapilavastu to live a life as an ascetic ( sa, śrāmaṇa, italic=yes, pi, sāmaṇa, italic=yes). It is called t ...
of Buddha, Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
File:Male head, northern India, Kushan or Gupta period, 5th-6th century CE, terracotta, HAA.JPG, Proto-Pagri, Kushan-Gupta period, 5th-6th century CE, terracotta, Honolulu Academy of Arts
File:Gandhara, testa di bodhisattva da hadda, IV-V secolo dc..JPG, Hadda
File:Gandhara, testa di bodhisattva, periodo kushan, 150-300.JPG, Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
File:Stucco Gandhara figure 02.jpg, Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
File:Arte del gandhara, bodhisattva pensoso, III sec.JPG, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum).
LACMA was founded in 19 ...
File:Bodhisattva Maitreya, Gandhara, 2nd-3rd century AD, schist with pigment and gold - Arthur M. Sackler Gallery - DSC06052.JPG, Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
Maitreya
Maitreya (Sanskrit: ) or Metteyya (Pali: ), also Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of the current kalpa, Maitreya's teachings will be aimed a ...
, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is an art museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., focusing on Asian art. The Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art together form the National Museum of Asian Art in the United States. Th ...
File:Bodhisattva Gandhara Guimet 181173.jpg, Guimet
File:Pakistani - Head of a Bodhisattva or Donor Prince - Walters 2597.jpg, Walters Art Museum
The Walters Art Museum, located in Mount Vernon-Belvedere, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is a public art museum founded and opened in 1934. It holds collections established during the mid-19th century. The museum's collection was amassed ...
, Baltimore
See also
*
Gandhi cap
*
Puneri Pagadi
The Puneri Pagadi is a distinctive style of turban, which is considered as a symbol of pride and honor in the city of Pune. It was introduced two centuries ago. Though it is a symbol of honour, the use of the ''pagadi'' has changed over the year ...
*
Rasam Pagri
Rasam Pagri (रसम पगड़ी) is a social ceremony, prevalent amongst Hindus from northern part of India. The ceremony is conducted upon the death of the eldest male member in a family, in which the eldest surviving male member of the fa ...
*
Sehra (headdress)
*
Turban
A turban (from Persian دولبند, ''dulband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with promin ...
References
{{clothing
Turbans
Pakistani headgear
Indian headgear
Bangladeshi clothing
Chinese clothing
Desi culture
Rajasthani clothing