The ‘joora’ — the coiled topknot formed from ‘kesh’, or unshorn hair — is one of the most visible and intimate markers of Sikh identity. Worn beneath the turban, it is at once a marker of spiritual discipline and a daily ritual. This visual project traces how the ‘joora’ moves through time: from inherited tradition to contemporary self-fashioning, from stillness to athletic motion.
“Ashore the five rivers / with braids on their heads
Look, heeding the Guru’s call / awakens the Sikh / Fierce, fearless!”
— Rabindranath Tagore, Bandi Bir (The Captive Hero, 1899)
When I think of Sikhs and Sikhism, I inevitably think of the opening lines from Rabindranath Tagore’s 1899 poem ‘Bandi Bir’ (The Captive Hero) — an elegy for the Sikh warrior Banda Singh Bahadur and his two sons, who were captured and executed by the Mughals in 1716. Tagore opens the poem with an allusion to the five rivers of Punjab and the striking imagery of kesh, or the unshorn hair, one of the five articles of faith in Sikhism. For devout Sikhs, the kesh and the joora — a distinct top knot that keeps the kesh neatly coiled under the turban — are not only sartorial choices but also an outward expression of their unshakable faith and iconic silhouette.
‘Top Knots’ — a conceptual photoseries by Visual artist Gurdev Singh (@gurdevart) and photographer Aryan Solanki (@aryann.solanki) — is a visual study of the joora and its place within the Sikh sartorial identity. “Through these visuals, we seek to examine the ‘mania’ and the distinct style surrounding these men,” Gurdev says. “The imagery draws inspiration from the spirit of Sikh athletes like the legendary Milkha Singh, who famously noted that his hair and ‘unique headgear’ became a global sensation during the 1960 Rome Olympics. At the time, spectators were so mesmerized by his appearance that they initially mistook him for a saint.”
As decades shift and aesthetics evolve, communities negotiate the tension between inheritance and modernity in different ways. Within Sikh life, however, appearance is not subject to trend. The care of kesh, the tying of the joora, and the wrapping of the turban are rituals that bind the community to its history.
‘Top Knots’ traces that continuity through contemporary portraiture — examining gesture, posture, and bearing. The joora appears as a living form: a signifier of faith and discipline. It considers how Sikh men, across generations, have shaped their public image — balancing strength with grace, athleticism, with spiritual identity.
Through these stills, the project explores style as both inheritance and assertion. The joora stands at the crossroads of free movement and grounded identity — a knot that binds body, belief, and belonging.
Follow @aryann.solanki to learn more about his practice.
Follow Gurdev Singh (@gurdevart) here.
If you enjoyed reading this, here’s more from Homegrown:
4 Young Sikhs On The Tight Bond Between Their Hair & Identity
Omi Zola Gupta’s ‘Champi’ Is A Poignant Portrait Of Sikh Masculinity & Fatherhood
Turbans & Timeless Faith: A Photographer Capturing The Complexities Of Sikh Identity