The turban exchange (known as Pagg Vatauna or Pagg Baath) is a custom followed in
Punjab
Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
(earlier the entire
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
) wherein two male counterparts enter a brotherly social contract and treat each other's families as the male counterparts of family. The social contract is enforced and looked up upon in society, although it does not have the same status as other ceremonies, it does hold immense cultural significance.
People in Punjab have been and still do exchange turbans with closest friends, once they exchange turbans they become friends for life and forge a permanent brotherly relationship and refer to each other as brother, and their children refer to them as uncle (for example, if elder, Taya or Chacha if younger).
Exchanging turbans is a glue that can bind two individuals or families together for generations.
Earlier the tradition of wearing turbans was common throughout India, and each community or sub-caste had a different style of turban, when doing the Turban Exchange the two have to wear each other's turban in that particular style of turban.
References
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Turbans