However, an increasing number of Sikhs do not wear turbans these days and therefore have no idea how to tie one should the need arise.

Realising he had a specific skill to offer helpless Sikh men who must wear a turban on their wedding day, Jagdave Singh decided to make a business out of turban-tying in 2017.

Watch the video here.

Called Swagger Turban Services, the pharmacist by day has become the go-to expert who nervous grooms contact when their big day arrives.

“We mainly get requests from grooms, but we also get requests for birthdays, official events and once even from a young man on his prom night,” Jagdave, 32, told FMT recently.

He said he has always worn a turban, and when he was in his teens, he used to experiment with different styles based on what he saw online.

“My grandfather and father both wear turbans and they have always encouraged and guided me. But it was my mother who used to help me tie my turban,” he recalled.

After much practice, by the time he was 16 years old, Jagdave was skilled enough to tie his turban on his own. “It used to take me about an hour when I first started, but now, I am able to do it in a few minutes.”

And when it was his turn to get married, Jagdave tied his own turban for his wedding. “That took longer than expected as I was nervous and had to tie it perfectly,” he said, laughing.

He said it is currently wedding season and his hands are full – quite literally – with tying turbans for the menfolk.

In fact, he said there are three to five weddings every weekend, now that Covid-19 restrictions have been relaxed and those who had put their weddings on hold for the last two years are finally able to hold the temple ceremony.

He said that once he accepts a turban-tying request, he is up before sunrise to ensure the grooms look dapper for their brides. “I have had to start tying turbans as early as 2.30 in the morning for some events.”

He has also travelled far and wide to meet the needs of his customers, once even flying to Hong Kong for a special event. “I was only there for less than a day, but it was really exciting to travel all the way and be able to tie over 30 turbans for the event.”

He has come a long way from the 16-year-old who used to take one hour to tie a turban. Now an expert, he can tie six to eight turbans in that same length of time, a useful skill when tying for large numbers of men.

“Usually for weddings we don’t just have to tie for the grooms but for their fathers and groomsmen as well, so it can go up to about ten turbans or more for just one wedding.”

He explained that before a turban was tied, the material had to be washed, ironed, and then folded. “Some material can be rather starchy and must be washed to ensure it is soft for the tying process.”

He said there were also many different styles of turbans and some of his customers’ requests have been rather creative and challenging, which meant a fair bit of research and practice was necessary beforehand.

When trying to perfect a style he had just learned, Jagdave said his family members were made his guinea pigs. “When I need to practise, I end up tying turbans for everyone in the house, even my mother and wife,” he said.

Determined to share his knowledge and technique with others in the hopes of keeping the tradition alive, Jagdave and his team also offer training courses for those keen on learning how to tie a turban.

“We usually get requests from parents to help teach their young children how to tie turbans and even from adults who have decided to grow their hair and keep a turban.”

Jagdave has hopes of expanding his business and conducting online classes in the near future so he can reach more students.

Although he has no plans of giving up his day job anytime soon, he does hope that through Swagger Turban Services, he can act as a role model for young Sikh men who wear a turban or for those who wish to do so.

Swagger Turban Services is available throughout Malaysia and charges between RM170–RM200 for the groom depending on the distance travelled and the style of turban. He charges around RM80–RM90 per person for the wedding entourage.

If you’re in need of a turban-tying service, check out Swagger Turban Services on Facebook and Instagram.