patka
{{Short description|Sikh headgear}}
{{otheruses}}
Patka is a Sikh headgear in lieu of the full Sikh turban. It is worn by young Sikh boys and sportsmen to cover a small topknot called joora [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patka-box-1.6782198# Ontario woman creates 'patka box' for teachers to help Sikh students ] which sits at the top of their head. Patka is a square piece of cotton, usually with four strings (one attached to each corner) for tying.[https://www.sikhcoalition.org/images/documents/how_do_you_tie_a_patka.pdf How Do You Tie a Patka?]
Patka in sports
File:Monty Panesar.jpg's bandana tied with a Patka cloth (instead of wearing a Patka)]]
Patkas are commonly tied by sportsmen due to their stability, especially those playing Cricket and Field Hockey in India.
Some choose to wear a bandana tied with a (typically black) Patka cloth, tying a bun behind their head instead of a Sikh joora (at the top of their head) and tying the bandana over it creating a look resembling a durag instead of tying a Sikh patka. This is commonly tied by cricketers such as Monty Panesar and Harbhajan Singh, but is not a Sikh patka (since the Sikh religion mandates tying hair on top of the head, tying a bun behind instead does not fit this definition for a Sikh head covering)
In 2014 there was a row with FIBA about two Sikh Indian players, Amritpal Singh and Amjyot Singh wearing patkas during the FIBA Asia Cup.{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/fiba-asia-assures-amicable-solution-to-patka-row/articleshow/38984876.cms | title=Fiba Asia assures amicable solution to patka row | newspaper=The Times of India | date=25 July 2014 }} In 2017 FIBA lifted the patka ban.[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/basketball-governing-body-lifts-turban-ban/articleshow/58544787.cms Basketball governing body lifts turban ban] In 2018 Indian wrestler Jashkawar Gill was denied the participation in a tournament in Turkey for his refusal to replace his patka with a women-style tying of hair allowed by the United World Wrestling rules.[https://thewire.in/sport/headgear-comes-in-the-way-of-this-wrestlers-international-debut Headgear 'Comes in the Way' of This Wrestler's International Debut]