Word · from the archive
pagg
The turban — worn across Punjab by Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus alike, though of special religious significance to Sikhs. Beyond dress, the pagg is a symbol of honour, dignity, and self-respect.
noun (feminine) · turban
In its formal and Sikh register the same head-covering is the ਦਸਤਾਰ dastār.
Literal sense
A turban; the length of cloth wound around the head.
Pronunciation
/pəɡː/ — “pug”
Etymology
From Sanskrit paṭṭa, “band, strip of cloth,” through Prakrit; related to pagṛī.
Etymological stream: Sanskritic
Cultural context
Idioms make the turban stand for honour itself: to “keep someone’s pagg” is to protect their dignity; to knock it off is a grave insult. Exchanging turbans (pagg-vaṭ) seals a bond of brotherhood.
In a sentence
ਪੱਗ ਸਾਡੀ ਇੱਜ਼ਤ ਦੀ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨੀ ਹੈ।پگ ساڈی عزت دی نشانی ہے۔pagg sāḍī izzat dī nishānī hai“The turban is a symbol of our honour.”
Related words
Where this word appears on Punjabia
See also
ਦਾ دا dā — why the rhyme says pagg… dī — the possessive agrees with it