‘The Punjabi Store’ turns heads with 164 turban styles

A turban store in Jalandhar is turning heads and drawing admiration with its visually striking and culturally rich display of 164 turban-styled mannequins, each showcasing a unique colour and tying style.

‘The Punjabi Store’, located near Johal Market, has become a popular stop for locals and visitors alike for its vibrant tribute to the Sikh identity and turban fashion.

While bright, multi-coloured cloth lengths stacked neatly on shelves are a common sight at most turban and dupatta centres across the city, what sets this store apart is its innovative and aesthetically curated presentation. Each mannequin at the store wears a differently tied turban and below it lies a matching stack of cloth in the same shade. Each hue is labelled in both English and Punjabi — with names like peacock green, bottle green, pistachio green, military green, blood red, cherry red, wine and sindoori — adding an artistic and cultural touch.

Owner Navjot Singh, who passionately runs the shop, has turned his lifelong love for turbans into a full-time business and a cultural movement. “I have personally always been fond of wearing turbans. While most boys start in Class X or so, I was in Class V when I started tying turbans on my own,” he shared. “Within two years, I had mastered the art of tying turbans so well that I began informally training the youth around me.”

Navjot has demonstrated various styles on the dummies, including the Amritsari style, royal Patiala style, wattan wali (wrinkled) turban and double-layered turban. His personal favourite is the dumala-style turban, which he wears daily. Each turban is carefully styled with a contrasting under-layer to enhance its look, and he takes pride in curating each display meticulously.

The idea for this concept was originally developed by Navjot’s friend Harmanjot from Mansa, who opened the first store. Inspired by the vision, Navjot launched a similar outlet in Jalandhar two years ago. Since then, ‘The Punjabi Store’ has expanded to Patiala, Ludhiana, Kapurthala and seven other locations, becoming a growing name in turban fashion.

During the Covid lockdown, Navjot continued promoting turban culture by making instructional videos on his Facebook page ‘Sardarian trust Punjab’, helping youngsters learn the art of turban tying.

Apart from turbans, the store also offers scarves and a range of turban accessories including pins, bobs, beard brushes and more. To add to its cultural appeal, the shop’s entrance is adorned with home décor items and wall hangings reflecting Punjabi heritage and Sikh traditions — making it more than just a retail outlet, but a celebration of identity and pride.