Turbans or Pagri

[Quicksilver]

Military Pagri, or Turbans, as they tend to be called by Europeans, often consist of several parts. While I dont know much about them I do know that a pagri is wrapped around a khulla which is the conical part of the pagri, and shamla which is the loose end protruding above the pagri in the manner of a fan. What I dont know the name of is the oblong piece of cloth that often hangs on the left hand side like a formation flash and sometimes has a fring on the bottom of it. Is there an Indian name for this unit identification patch?
Rgds Quicksilver

[loupie1961]

... I'm still trying to identify what formation could refer to.... I guess the folds of the pagri and the shape of the shamla are to be referred to some sort of regiment, but I wonder which... do you think you could help?

[Quicksilver]

I am a bit out of my depth here but I think you have shown a khulla (conical centre) with a bit of a pagri around it but no shamla as it is the fan that some times is worn sticking vertical. The formation would be shown by the formation fringe on the left hand side. Hope some one can put us right on this. Rgds Quicksilver

Originally Posted by loupie1961

... I'm still trying to identify what formation could refer to.... I guess the folds of the pagri and the shape of the shamla are to be referred to some sort of regiment, but I wonder which... do you think you could help?

[loupie1961]

What you describe as a fring, is it a tassel? I've got an Indian Turban with a black tassell, or finge, I've desperateyl tried to dientify, I've been told it could be either Indian Tank Corps or Frontier Rifles.... could it be that the shamla is the tails pieces that have been starched stiff?

[cbuehler]

Just noticed this. As mentioned, the khulla, or cone, is only partially wrapped.
There were many styles of wrapping the pagri, and in field service, they normally did not wear colored fringe ends. The pagri would be wrapped so that only a small portion of the cone would show and the fringe would be at the side hanging down or sticking upwards depending on the type of regiment So at this point, no more can deduced here.
I dont know how to identify the regiments by the colors of the fringe ends.
These types of headress are quite rare to find nowadays however.

CB

[Quicksilver]

Thank you CB

[Peter R. Moore]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

Military Pagri, or Turbans, as they tend to be called by Europeans, often consist of several parts. While I dont know much about them I do know that a pagri is wrapped around a khulla which is the conical part of the pagri, and shamla which is the loose end protruding above the pagri in the manner of a fan. What I dont know the name of is the oblong piece of cloth that often hangs on the left hand side like a formation flash and sometimes has a fring on the bottom of it. Is there an Indian name for this unit identification patch?
Rgds Quicksilver

All cloth head-dress in Indian/Pakistan units are called pagris. Those wound around the conical kullah indicate the wearer is a Muslim. The style of tying the pagri varies according to place of origin (and sometimes caste) and is a good indicator of the wearer's ethnicity. The unit badge is called 'nishan' but I have not heard of a specific title for the cloth drape worn on the left sometimes with an embroidered badge and a short-fringed edge. Most units simply have long fringes (always worn on the left) in unit colours for Other Ranks, 'silver' for Jemadars/Naib-Subedars and 'gold' for Subedars /Subedar-Majors.

[Quicksilver]

Thank you for that information. Most helpful.
Quicksilve