An Australian travel vlogger’s encounter in Punjab has gone viral for all the right reasons — combining cultural appreciation, tradition, and a heartfelt lesson in respect. The video, featuring 24-year-old content creator Luke Damant, captures a powerful exchange between the vlogger and a Punjabi shopkeeper as he tries on a Sikh turban for the first time.
In the now-viral clip, Damant is seen walking along a street in Punjab, where he approaches a young man and expresses his interest in buying a Sikh turban like the one he was wearing. The local leads him to a nearby shop, where Damant is offered a variety of colorful turbans to choose from. After picking a striking blue turban, the shopkeeper kindly offers to help tie it for him.
During the friendly exchange, Damant curiously asks, “Do only men wear turbans?” The shopkeeper responds that Sikh women can wear turbans too — a nod to the inclusive and spiritual nature of Sikh practices. However, it was what came next that truly captured the attention of millions online.
With a warm yet serious tone, the shopkeeper offered a piece of advice that quickly resonated across social media platforms: “Once turban on, no smoking, no drinking, strictly.” His words, spoken with sincerity, reflected the deep reverence associated with the Sikh turban, or dastar, which is considered a sacred symbol of spirituality, discipline, and identity.
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Damant, visibly respectful and thankful, agreed to the shopkeeper’s request and paid him for the turban. He later titled his video “$5 turban in India,” which has now amassed over a million views and continues to trend for its authenticity and meaningful message.
The reaction online has been overwhelmingly positive, with users from around the world praising the shopkeeper’s dedication to preserving Sikh values and educating visitors. “Good shopkeeper, he also suggested what to do and what not wearing turban,” wrote one viewer. Another commented, “Respect to the person who tied the dastar and said not to drink or smoke when you have a turban on your head. People see those with a turban with respect, so we must keep it that way.”
Perhaps most strikingly, a viewer pointed out that the shopkeeper wasn’t even a Sikh himself, yet displayed a profound understanding of Sikhi and the respect due to the turban. “Shopkeeper himself is not Sikh but he really knows what shikhi is and knows the respect for turban. Respect for that man,” read a comment that has garnered hundreds of likes.
The video stands out not just for its visual appeal or travel intrigue but for the genuine cultural exchange and the reminder that respect for tradition transcends religion, borders, and background — making it a wholesome moment of viral wisdom on the internet.
