R-Day: PM Modi flaunts iconic 'turban' look again, wears yellow-red striped 'safa'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued his flamboyant and striking "turban" look on Republic Day this year as well.

This year, Modi chose a red and yellow striped Rajasthani "safa" with a long tail for his Republic-Day look on Sunday (January 26), pairing it with a brown bandhgala jacket and pocket square. From bright red bandhani turbans to mustard-coloured Rajasthani safa, Modi continues his tradition of flaunting various traditional headgear during Republic Day celebrations.

Colourful turbans

Flamboyant and colourful turbans have been a regular feature in the prime minister's Independence Day and Republic Day looks.

Last year, he chose a multi-coloured "bandhani" print Rajasthani safa for his Republic-Day look.

Bandhani is a type of tie-dye textile popular in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The fabric is decorated by plucking the cloth with fingernails into many tiny bindings that form a figurative design.

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Down the years

In 2023 too, Modi wore a multi-coloured Rajasthani turban and complemented it with a cream-cloured churidhar kurta. He wore a traditional pheta decked with orange, red, green, yellow, and white patterns. A black bandhagala coat and a silk scarf rounded off the look.

Later that year, on the 77th Independence Day, he opted for a vibrant Rajasthani-style turban, with multiple colours and a lengthy tail.

In 2022, for India's 73rd National Republic Day, PM Modi wore a traditional kurta, pyjama, and grey check-embroidered jacket along with a face mask. He completed the R-day look with a unique Uttarakhand traditional cap, a scarf, and a Brahma Kamal-inspired brooch.

Brahma Kamal is Uttarakhand’s state flower.

In 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore a ‘Halari Pagdi’, which is a bright red bandhej (a type of tie-dye textile) headgear with yellow dots during the celebratory parade. It was a gift from the royal family of Jamnagar in Gujarat. He wore it with a grey jacket, a white kurta-pyjama set, and an embroidered shawl.

In 2019, Modi sported a multi-coloured turban as he delivered his sixth Independence-Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, after returning to power for a second term with a thumping majority.

Bandhej turban

For his maiden Independence Day as prime minister in 2014, he had opted for a bright red Jodhpuri "bandhej" turban. In 2015, Modi chose a yellow turban covered with multi-coloured criss-cross lines, and a tie-and-dye turban in hues of pink and yellow in 2016.

The prime minister's turban for 2017 was a mix of bright red and yellow with crisscrossed golden lines all over. He donned a saffron turban for his appearance at the Red Fort in 2018.

From a bright red "bandhani" turban from Kutch to a mustard Rajasthani "safa", Modi's eye-catching turbans have been a highlight of his Republic-Day appearances too.

(With inputs from agencies)