SIKH.--The Sikh does not shave or cut his hair. The beard is parted in the middle and carried up each side of the face to the top of the head. A piece of cloth called _dhata_ or _galmocha_ is wound round the chin and head so as to keep the hair clean and tidy. The hair of the head is tied into a knot (_kes_) at the top of the head or at the back, a distinguishing mark of the Sikh. His religion requires the Sikh to carry five articles--_kes_, the knot of hair on the head; the _kanga_, a comb; the _kard_, a knife; the _kach_, a pair of short trousers peculiar to the Sikh; and the _khara_, an iron bangle on the wrist. It is _de rigueur_ that he should carry some piece of iron on his person. His head-dress he calls a _pag_; it is a turban of _amamah_ shape but enormously large. The Sikh nobility and gentry wear two turbans, either both of pagri form or one of pagri and one of _amamah_ form. Each is of a different colour. The Sikh calls his _kurta jhagga_; it is very large and loose, bound with a scarf round the waist. The _kach_ is a sort of knickerbockers reaching to just below the knee, which they encircle tightly. Over all the Sikh wears the _choga_. In outlying villages he wears instead of the _kurta_ a _chadar_ or cloth, which he calls _khes_, on the upper part of his body. Some village Sikhs wear a _tahband_ or waistcloth instead of the _kach_. Sikhs are fond of jewelry and wear ear-rings. The dress of Sikh women does not differ greatly from that of Hindu women; but in the Sirsa district and some other parts she wears the Mahommedan _sutan_ or trousers, under the _lhenga_ or skirt. There is a small sect of Sikh known as _Akali_ or _Nihang_. Their dress is entirely of dark blue colour, the turban being also blue, high and pointed; on it are fastened three steel quoits. The quoit was the ancient weapon of the Sikh, who calls it _chakar_. Certain steel blades are stuck through the body of the turban. The Akalis also wear large flat iron rings round the neck and arms (Plate II. fig. 6).