Photo gallery: Indian Sikhs promote 'turban pride'
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This picture taken on July 3, 2012 shows young Indian Sikh men tying turbans at the office of the "turban pride" movement in Amritsar. The most visible symbol of Sikh pride and identity, the turban is an eight metre (26 foot) piece of cloth, used by Sikh men to manage the long hair which their religion forbids them from cutting. -- PHOTO: AFP
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This picture taken on July 7, 2012 shows young Indian Sikh members praying after a turban-tying ceremony known as "dastar bandi", traditionally held to mark the coming of age of male Sikhs, at a temple in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
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This picture taken on July 3, 2012 shows an Indian Sikh man tying a man's turban at the office of the "turban pride" movement in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
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This picture taken on July 3, 2012 shows Indian Sikh men preparing to make turbans at the office of the "turban pride" movement in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
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This picture taken on July 7, 2012 shows Indian Sikh elders helping tie turbans on young boys during a turban-tying ceremony known as "dastar bandi", traditionally held to mark the coming of age of male Sikhs, at a temple in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
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This picture taken on July 7, 2012 shows Indian Sikh elders helping tie turbans on young boys during a turban-tying ceremony known as "dastar bandi", traditionally held to mark the coming of age of male Sikhs, at a temple in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
This picture taken on July 3, 2012 shows young Indian Sikh men tying turbans at the office of the "turban pride" movement in Amritsar. The most visible symbol of Sikh pride and identity, the turban is an eight metre (26 foot) piece of cloth, used by Sikh men to manage the long hair which their religion forbids them from cutting. -- PHOTO: AFP
This picture taken on July 7, 2012 shows young Indian Sikh members praying after a turban-tying ceremony known as "dastar bandi", traditionally held to mark the coming of age of male Sikhs, at a temple in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
This picture taken on July 3, 2012 shows an Indian Sikh man tying a man's turban at the office of the "turban pride" movement in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
This picture taken on July 3, 2012 shows Indian Sikh men preparing to make turbans at the office of the "turban pride" movement in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
This picture taken on July 7, 2012 shows Indian Sikh elders helping tie turbans on young boys during a turban-tying ceremony known as "dastar bandi", traditionally held to mark the coming of age of male Sikhs, at a temple in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
This picture taken on July 7, 2012 shows Indian Sikh elders helping tie turbans on young boys during a turban-tying ceremony known as "dastar bandi", traditionally held to mark the coming of age of male Sikhs, at a temple in Amritsar. -- PHOTO: AFP
AMRITSAR, India (AFP) - The evening turban-tying class in the Sikh-dominated Indian city of Amritsar is packed with pre-teen boys learning a centuries-old tradition - that religious leaders fear is under threat.
Over the next 90 minutes, the instructors unfurl long strips of cloth in vibrant hues from indigo to burgundy, and proceed to knot, pleat and finally tie them carefully around the boys' heads.
The most visible symbol of Sikh pride and identity, the turban is an eight-metre piece of cloth, used by Sikh men to manage the long hair which their religion forbids them from cutting.
But in India, young Sikh men are increasingly putting fashion before tradition - cutting their hair short and shunning the turban completely.
