Bana is the the distinctive Sikh mode of attire.
Bana was the first gift Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Sikh Guru, gave to the Panj Pi‐aaray (the five beloved ones) before he established the Amrit Ceremony. The distinctiveness of Bana establishes a Sikh’s identity. Not only does it prevent a Sikh from running away, and insures that anyone who needs a Sikh can find one, it also endows the wearer with dignity.
In 1699, only princes of the blood and other high‐ranking persons wore turbans. Stories tell of people fighting over the inheritance of special turbans. So Guru Gobind Singh insisted that all his Sikhs wear turbans as a statement of the nobility of those who are willing to give their lives for God. Sikhs have worn them ever since. The subtle pressure on the temples that a turban creates stimulates the pituitary, the seat of intuition.
When Guru Gobind Singh gave Sikhs Bana, he included:
- Turban
- The 5K’s
- Kesh (uncut hair)
- Kanga (wooden comb)
- Kara (iron bangle)
- Kachera (cotton undershorts)
- Kirpan (sword)
- Kurta (tunic)
- Cummerbund (cloth wrapped around the mid-torso region)
- Churridars (legging-style cotton pants)
The cummerbund stimulates the navel area and aids digestion. The kurta and churridars serve physical modesty. These items, however, are generally considered more optional than the turban and 5K’s. Styles of bana vary.
Many Sikhs choose to wear Western clothes exclusively, except for the turban and the 5K’s. As long as it’s modest and graceful, Sikhs may wear it.
Many on the Sikh Dharma path and Kundalini Yoga practitioners choose to wear white. White is the color of light. It reflects the full spectrum of the visible and invisible rainbow. Yogis know that wearing white expands the aura by three feet total (a foot and a half on each side). Those with a strong aura can remain inspiring and radiant in the face of negativity, hostility, or challenging circumstances.
In Punjabi culture, white is the color of mourning, and is generally reserved for widows and funerals.
Bottom line, wearing bana is not more important than one’s actions (i.e. Rehit, Shabad Guru and Seva). There’s a passage in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib that says: “Through robes, one meets not with God.”
Sikhs believe that wearing Bana lets our inner light shine out, and that serves to inspire and uplift people. Sikhs wear Bana to enhance our spirits.
Note: additional information about the 5K’s will be shared in the next Sikh Dharma 201 lesson
~Resource: Sikh Spiritual Practice: The Sound Way to God (2010) by Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa.
