UK exhibition to raise awareness of Turban’s history, its significance for Sikhs

London: An exhibition, ‘Turbanology: Sikhs Unwrapped’, will be held in Birmingham to raise awareness of the history of Turban and its significance for Sikhs.

In addition to specially commissioned films and talks, the exhibition, which opens on Friday, will provide knowledge and perspective on the turban’s spiritual importance. It will also provide hands-on demonstrations on how a turban is tied. Exhibition director Jay Singh Sohal hopes that the exhibition will counter negative preconceptions of the turban. “A survey for the exhibition suggests that 33 percent of turban-wearing Sikhs have received verbal abuse and a further 14 percent have faced racial discrimination because of their turban,” The Guardian quoted Sohal, as saying. Sohal wants the exhibition to challenge the assumption that people who wear turbans are Muslim radicals. “The aim of the exhibition is to tackle these preconceptions in a fresh and fun way by focusing on the aesthetic, the symbolism of the turban and the things that British Sikhs have done to earn their place as respected members of our society,” he explains. In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Sikhs came under attack from people who assumed their turbans meant they were Muslim radicals. ANI