# 7 Turbans

I was waiting at the airport in Delhi for some friends. The flight was late, the wait was long. I sat on a staircase where I could observe the crowd from above. I started focusing on the sea of turbans below, one of the distinctive items of dress in India. Here in the airport I noted an amazing array of colors. I saw turbans in gold, magenta, salmon, lilac, tan, cream, peach, seafoam, burgundy, rust, orange, sage, wine, forest greet, black, navy, gray, white, periwinkle, butter yellow, peridot, cornflower blue, and chartreuse.

Solid colored or print, giant, small, tall, simply or elaborately wrapped, turbans are an important part of the culture in Rajasthan worn by men throughout the state. There is a tremendous amount of variation, depending on familial affiliation, religion, region, season, occupation, and occasion. The fabric is typically a pure soft cotton dyed in a variety of colorful shades. The length of the cloth varies but is typically between 20 and 36 feet long and. 9 to 12 inches wide. Male members of the Sikh religion always wear a turban, keeping their long, uncut hair from view.

In India visitors will find constant visual displays of incongruity when tradition meets "progress" and ancient meets modern. During initial visits I always did a double-take when I saw turbaned men in the countryside riding motor scooters. It seems so, well, incongruous. Now it seems perfectly normal.

An interesting albeit slightly dusty turban museum can be found at Surabhi's restaurant in Jaipur. It's a wonderful, pillared heritage property on Old Amer Road, with good quality food and a welcoming atmosphere. The owner has amassed quite a collection of Rajasthani headgear with detailed descriptions about each style.

If you're predisposed to purchasing a turban but are intimidated by tying it, don't despair. There are ready-to-wear turbans available for different head sizes. Go on, try one on for size.