In various cultures, a turban has been an essential accessory. The customary headgear based on cloth winding has existed for thousands of years. Worn by different people in different ways, some headgears are so elaborate that they use up to 50 yards or 45 meters of fabric. According to historians, wearing turbans originated in ancient Persia and later spread across the central part of the Near East. The Persians called the turban durb, and in Middle French, it was called turbant. By the 19th century, wearing turbans had spread across Europe. Today, prominent turban-wearing traditions exist throughout the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Balkan and Caucasian regions, and Africa. The turban’s evolution is a significant part of the history of accessories across cultures.

In India, the turban or saafa appears in Rigveda. Also, in the Maurya and Gupta Empires, headgears were worn by rulers and high-ranking individuals. But it was around the 19th century when the Rajputs of northern India popularised turbans known as Pagri or Saafa. They wore colourful saafas made with Bandhani (tie-dye) fabric to stay protected from the desert heat. Usually, they would soak the fabric in water overnight and tie it in the morning. Later, saafas became a symbol of honour and pride at special occasions like weddings and festivals. Depending on the wrapping style, there are different types of Rajasthani saafas, like the Jodhpuri saafa, Marwari saafa, and the Shekhawati saafa. The Rajasthani saafa is usually around 9 to 11 meters long. Turbans were also worn by royalty of Karnataka and Maharashtra, Sikh men, Shia Muslims, Sufi scholars, and Hindu monks. 

The saafa is made from a long piece of cotton or silk which is between 5 to 9 meters in length and 1 meter in width. The piece is folded lengthwise and usually wrapped around the groom’s head to create a turban symbolising the crown. Sometimes a layer of bukram is added to give the saafa a firm shape.

The layers should be tight and secure and overlap slightly. Once the turban is tied it is decorated with a peacock feather or a Kalangi. At weddings a Saafa is tied by a professional pagdi-wala or saafa-wala who uses a more intricate style for the groom and a simple style for the baaratis. 

The saafa has evolved significantly over time, adapting to the tastes and traditions of modern India. In ancient India, the saafa was worn by only a few distinguished royals. During the Mughal Era, the Mughals and Rajputs introduced new fabrics and ways of tying a saafa, making it region-centric and a symbol of style and status. 

However, with British rule in India, men began to wear hats instead of saafas. It has only been over the last two decades, with a little boost from Bollywood, that wearing a saafa has regained popularity.

Today, ready-to-wear saafas are available in every colour. Modern saafas use a variety of fabrics, like cotton, silk, brocade, satin, and velvet. They also have beautiful embellishments in gold plating with Kundan and Meenakari work. The saafa has carved a niche to reflect regional culture, contemporary trends, and Indian heritage. A Saafa is an important wedding accessory.