“It takes me about 5-10 minutes to tie my turban in the morning,” said Singh, who’s been wearing a head turban since childhood. “It’s a big part of our faith.”

Singh follows the religion Sikhism and said Sikhs wear turbans to show respect for God, similar to Yarmulkes or the hats priests wear.

MSU’s Sikh Student Association hosted MSU Turban Day Tuesday evening, inviting the MSU community to come and learn about the Sikhism identity. There, traditional dishes such as Samosas and Pakoras were provided to give an authentic Indian taste. Students were taught about the Sikhism culture and religion, and how to tie a turban on their own heads with a Pagri.

The Sikh Student Association graduate advisor Harjot Grover said learning how to tie a turban was important for students to experience the different culture.

Grover also said Turban Day is an event that occurs nationwide on various dates as an educational tool to inform people about Sikhism.

Not only are Turbans unique to the Sikh identity in India, they are also commonly seen as a popular clothing throughout history with different cultures, such as the Middle East.

Professor Emine Evered, who specializes in Middle Eastern studies, said turbans stand as a source of religious power, with the many colors representing different sections of the religion.

“In most cases, it was a sign of someone’s religious learning, authority, and power. Different colors were used by different groups,” Evered said.

Singh said turbans were introduced to the Sikh identity when Prophet Guru Gobind, who standardized the Sikh identity, mandated that all Sikh men wear a turban and keep a long uncut beard, said Singh.

Studio art junior Fernando Vega attended the event to support the organization and said he feels it is important for people to step out of their native element and relate to new cultures.

“New experiences are the key to life,” Vega said.