If you had the wrong last name, wearing a turban could be hazardous to your health in 13th-century India, Surrey resident Gurwinder Singh explains.

The Simon Fraser University student is one of the volunteer organizers of a planned public forum at the SFU Surrey campus called “Turban As Idol And Icon.”

He says centuries ago, if your last name marked you as someone from a lower caste, you were not allowed to wear a turban in the presence of someone with a higher social ranking.

People were even killed for dressing above their status.

Singh takes pride in the fact his Sikh ancestors defied the rules by wearing turbans no matter what their caste was and by discarding the last names that would mark a person’s social standing.

All Sikh men took the last name of Singh (Lion) and all women used the last name of Kaur (Lioness).

Singh says his turban is more than a mere head covering.

“I consider it as a celebration of freedom, justice and equality. It’s like wearing a [Remembrance Day] poppy 24/7.”

But it can still be risky to wear a turban in modern times.

Only now, the hazard comes from people who don’t understand the difference between clichéd images of terrorists and real life.

After 9/11, Singh says he had a few run-ins with louts who called him “Bin Laden” after the extremist responsible for the World Trade Center attacks.

It was nothing he couldn’t handle, but it demonstrates the need to challenge ignorant attitudes that paint everyone with a turban as a potential threat.

That is the goal of the Surrey forum which features Professor Balbinder Singh Bhogal an associate professor in religion from Hofstra University in New York.

The professor will discuss the deeper meaning of the turban as something that is more than just a terrorist symbol or a sign of cultural identity.

The free lecture will take place Saturday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m. in Theatre Room 2600 at the SFU Surrey Campus, 13450 102 Ave.

Seating is limited. To make a reservation, phone 604-789- 4349 or e-mail sikhi4all@gmail.com.

dferguson@surreyleader.com