Questions about wearing of pattkay(turban).

[Charsi Malang]

Afghan Lungee Turban Cloth me514 -

I seen it here for sale.
BTW patkai/longi/longotai is the turban ie pagri in Hindi.
Kulla is the gold threaded cap. popular with Shinwari and Mohmand, generally pashtuns around Nangarhar. The longi/patkai wraps around the kulla.

usually any white prayer cap will do but often many pashtun prefer a rigid cap with some ornamental thread.

In my southern region, the gold threaded bling kulla is not used, instead I and we use a balochi khuli (pakis call it sindhi tupi).

The wrapping of longi is a dead give away to the region a style is associated with.
Eg gold cloth, huge patkai; Katawaz saeb style indicates Paktia/Waziristan region.
Classic style has rolls on one side, and band on other side with a shamla on top to one side. Nangarhari often wear distinct tall kulla and wrap the longi neat and tight in a band around the kulla.
Tsamkani style has distinct style, often big turban with even distribution.
Atsakzai style has rolls on the forehead. Kandahari style is slightly lop-sided and not big.

When you buy a longi, buy 'abresham' - it's a nice cloth. Even better is the finer quality material in solid colours called 'paaj' / 'faaj'.
Width of longi determines how big the turban will be. Width is often pre-cut and packaged in hand-widths (4 -gira to 6-gira). Length is more or less 2 metres. Paaj can be longer as it is sold off a roll and the cloth is finer.

If you are out of the country ask someone to bring it for you. Best places for choice I found outside of Kandahar/Hilmand is Quetta. Peshawar is also good place.

Most of the packaged longi come from factories in Multan, so if you know someone in Pak., place your order.

The most imposing turbans imo are those worn by the tribesmen of Waziristan
and also the Paktia/Paktika region. They look very grand.

[Charsi Malang]

Afghan Lungee Turban Cloth me514 -

I seen it here for sale.
BTW patkai/longi/longotai is the turban ie pagri in Hindi.
Kulla is the gold threaded cap. popular with Shinwari and Mohmand, generally pashtuns around Nangarhar. The longi/patkai wraps around the kulla.

usually any white prayer cap will do but often many pashtun prefer a rigid cap with some ornamental thread.

In my southern region, the gold threaded bling kulla is not used, instead I and we use a balochi khuli (pakis call it sindhi tupi).

The wrapping of longi is a dead give away to the region a style is associated with.
Eg gold cloth, huge patkai; Katawaz saeb style indicates Paktia/Waziristan region.
Classic style has rolls on one side, and band on other side with a shamla on top to one side. Nangarhari often wear distinct tall kulla and wrap the longi neat and tight in a band around the kulla.
Tsamkani style has distinct style, often big turban with even distribution.
Atsakzai style has rolls on the forehead. Kandahari style is slightly lop-sided and not big.

When you buy a longi, buy 'abresham' - it's a nice cloth. Even better is the finer quality material in solid colours called 'paaj' / 'faaj'.
Width of longi determines how big the turban will be. Width is often pre-cut and packaged in hand-widths (4 -gira to 6-gira). Length is more or less 2 metres. Paaj can be longer as it is sold off a roll and the cloth is finer.

If you are out of the country ask someone to bring it for you. Best places for choice I found outside of Kandahar/Hilmand is Quetta. Peshawar is also good place.

Most of the packaged longi come from factories in Multan, so if you know someone in Pak., place your order.

In my own town the different tribal groups used to have differing ways of wrapping a patkai, or so I have heard from my old uncle. Sadly however, you won't catch any of those people even near a patkai anymore.

I remember I wore one on my wedding, one of the kids in my family looked at me and started screaming "jemadar"....I still don't know what that means and neither did I bother to find out. A lot of my family members were taken aback at the fact that I wore one. Perhaps a t shirt and jeans would have been more welcome.

[maneatinglizard]

In my own town the different tribal groups used to have differing ways of wrapping a patkai, or so I have heard from my old uncle. Sadly however, you won't catch any of those people even near a patkai anymore.

I remember I wore one on my wedding, one of the kids in my family looked at me and started screaming "jemadar"....I still don't know what that means and neither did I bother to find out. A lot of my family members were taken aback at the fact that I wore one. Perhaps a t shirt and jeans would have been more welcome.

It's odd that a turban would seem that foreign to them. What area are we talking about?

Like I said before, turbans seem to have fallen out of fashion a long time ago where I'm from, but people still wear them sometimes, and no one seems to think much of it.

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

If you want to practice, just take a look at this old video I made. afghan turban Imamah (امامه پګړۍ پټکۍ لونګۍ ) www.afghanvoice.com - YouTube

If you have a big head like I do, buy a big cap. Make sure it is stiff. Also a bigger head needs more wrapping. Buy a turban that's longer than 4 metres. Also make sure it's wide.

The bigger and the longer the turban the better it looks. A big turban can be shaped in different ways and it's distinctively a Pashtun thing.

Smaller turbans are usually the custom of Arabs and other folks.

A good turban needs to be worn along with well fitted slightly baggy proper Afghan clothes. Designer 'shalwar kamees' and tightly fitted clothes look gay.

Also, never forget: sunglasses look awesome with a turban. Make sure you got your sunglasses.

[toughpashtun]

If you want to practice, just take a look at this old video I made......

[MENTION=5381]Shamlawar Khurasani[/MENTION] , is that you in the video?

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

[MENTION=5381]Shamlawar Khurasani[/MENTION] , is that you in the video?

Its a younger and less hairy version of me.

[Traveller]

Well there are like 2 or 3 youtube videos but other than that i just look at pictures and try finugring it out myself

That's impressive. I don't I could learn just from pictures.

[Traveller]

Lungey is the southerner way of saying patkay i think(kulla being hat)

Longai is the cloth. Kullah is the the hat. I'm from Peshawar and we also use these words.

[Traveller]

I found some guides/videos on the internet. They weren't very useful, so I asked some people who wore turbans. They didn't wear Afghan style turbans, but they helped me figure out how to keep it fastened. I also wore non-Afghan style turbans a bunch (they're easier to wear and a little more comfortable). I basically just kept trying and asking my parents if it looked right. Eventually I got it down, but even now the way I wear it doesn't look exactly the same as the ones you see in stock photos.



We call it lungey too (from Paktia). I don't know if you consider that south or not, but we pronounce ښ as 'kh' and ږ as 'g', so our dialect is generally considered part of the "Northern" dialects.

In general, the distinctions between Northern and Southern dialects breaks down in the central Pashtun lands.

That sounds like a good way to learn. I'm going to see if I can find someone to teach me next time I go to Pakistan.

[Traveller]

Afghan Lungee Turban Cloth me514 -

I seen it here for sale.
BTW patkai/longi/longotai is the turban ie pagri in Hindi.
Kulla is the gold threaded cap. popular with Shinwari and Mohmand, generally pashtuns around Nangarhar. The longi/patkai wraps around the kulla.

usually any white prayer cap will do but often many pashtun prefer a rigid cap with some ornamental thread.

In my southern region, the gold threaded bling kulla is not used, instead I and we use a balochi khuli (pakis call it sindhi tupi).

The wrapping of longi is a dead give away to the region a style is associated with.
Eg gold cloth, huge patkai; Katawaz saeb style indicates Paktia/Waziristan region.
Classic style has rolls on one side, and band on other side with a shamla on top to one side. Nangarhari often wear distinct tall kulla and wrap the longi neat and tight in a band around the kulla.
Tsamkani style has distinct style, often big turban with even distribution.
Atsakzai style has rolls on the forehead. Kandahari style is slightly lop-sided and not big.

When you buy a longi, buy 'abresham' - it's a nice cloth. Even better is the finer quality material in solid colours called 'paaj' / 'faaj'.
Width of longi determines how big the turban will be. Width is often pre-cut and packaged in hand-widths (4 -gira to 6-gira). Length is more or less 2 metres. Paaj can be longer as it is sold off a roll and the cloth is finer.

If you are out of the country ask someone to bring it for you. Best places for choice I found outside of Kandahar/Hilmand is Quetta. Peshawar is also good place.

Most of the packaged longi come from factories in Multan, so if you know someone in Pak., place your order.

What are some places in Peshawar where you can buy a longai. And isn't wearing gold haram for men?

[Traveller]

In my own town the different tribal groups used to have differing ways of wrapping a patkai, or so I have heard from my old uncle. Sadly however, you won't catch any of those people even near a patkai anymore.

I remember I wore one on my wedding, one of the kids in my family looked at me and started screaming "jemadar"....I still don't know what that means and neither did I bother to find out. A lot of my family members were taken aback at the fact that I wore one. Perhaps a t shirt and jeans would have been more welcome.

That's strange. If wore a Pattkay at my wedding my family would be impressed.

[Traveller]

If you want to practice, just take a look at this old video I made. afghan turban Imamah (امامه پګړۍ پټکۍ لونګۍ ) www.afghanvoice.com - YouTube

If you have a big head like I do, buy a big cap. Make sure it is stiff. Also a bigger head needs more wrapping. Buy a turban that's longer than 4 metres. Also make sure it's wide.

The bigger and the longer the turban the better it looks. A big turban can be shaped in different ways and it's distinctively a Pashtun thing.

Smaller turbans are usually the custom of Arabs and other folks.

A good turban needs to be worn along with well fitted slightly baggy proper Afghan clothes. Designer 'shalwar kamees' and tightly fitted clothes look gay.

Also, never forget: sunglasses look awesome with a turban. Make sure you got your sunglasses.

Do you have a tutorial where you you wrap it around a hat. A hat-less turban seems too difficult for a beginner like myself.

[Samandri]

Coloured lungai with graded pattern are worn by our people but usually its simple patkai of white cloth which is useful in intense sun of Lakki Marwat desert. Marwat men of any age always place the white chadar on their one shoulder and cover their faces with it whenever there is sand storm (its frequent) and also use it to protect their heads from sun by making a patkai out of it.

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

Do you have a tutorial where you you wrap it around a hat. A hat-less turban seems too difficult for a beginner like myself.

Try without a cap so that you can learn exactly how to handle the material. It will make things easier once you put on a cap.

I can ty a turban without looking into a mirror within 10 seconds and it will still look better than others who use caps and mirrors.

It's all about practice and dedication.

Just keep trying. Once you've mastered it you will never regret it.

[Elite Pakhtun]

I remember I wore one on my wedding, one of the kids in my family looked at me and started screaming "jemadar"....I still don't know what that means and neither did I bother to find out. A lot of my family members were taken aback at the fact that I wore one. Perhaps a t shirt and jeans would have been more welcome.

Jamadar means servant basically. The emphasis is on the lower class nature of the individual. It's used interchangeably with chiprhasi, maasi, naukar, etc.

As for the jeans and T-shirt, lol... never heard that one. Usually people wear suits and/or shalwar kamiz for weddings.