HYDERABAD: Ever wondered what ‘sar pe laal topi rusi’ referred to in the famous Raj Kapoor number ‘mera joota hai japani’? It was to denote the mark the Ottoman Empire made on Russian history with its famous red Turkish Cap! While some call it the ‘Fez’, some, the ‘Turkish Hat’, the Hyderabadis with a sense of pride, boast about the ‘Rumi topi’ as the symbol of the gilt edge tehzeeb. The name literally means ‘Roman Headdress’. The Rumi topi was once a sign of aristocracy and nobility. It is said that Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad who was of short stature, would wear the Rumi topi to look taller especially in front of the British guests.
The Fez was also once known as a military headgear of the Ottoman Empire. Known to the Arabs as Tarboush, the pretty maroon rectangular or often conical cap with a long black tassel dangling from the centre is sadly out of fashion in Turkey except for touristy shops selling modern versions or fancy ice-cream vendors wearing it as a selfie-magnet. In Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon and Syria too, the trend is dying out. In India however, Hyderabad sees the maroon cap making a comeback, especially during Eid. “After the Ottoman Empire broke up, this cap made its way to many regions of the world including Hyderabad.
After all, many of the Nizam’s princes were of Turkish descent and in Telangana, the word for ‘Muslim’ in Telugu has incidentally been ‘Turklu’ or ‘Turk’ since the Turkish cap was a part of the local Muslim attire,” explains Mohammad Ilyas Bukhari of the 100-plus years old Mohammad Cap Mart in the heart of Charminar, Hyderabad, the city’s most noted cap merchants, who still receive visits from the Nizam’s descendants.
According to Bukhari, for a male, tilting the Rumi Topi towards the right and letting the tassel or phudna dangle signifies that he is unmarried. “If the cap is worn straight, it’s a sign of a shareef aadmi, but if tilted to the left, it means he is a tapori ( riffraff)! ” he laughs. He says that although the Rumi topi had disappeared, it is now returning in the fashion world, becoming quite popular with Hyderabadi youngsters, NRIs and even foreigners visiting the city, and buying these as souvenirs. “This is mostly a munaasabaat ki topi ( cap for special occasions). While the common man does not generally walk around the streets wearing it, we get hoards of young people and the elderly alike buying it regularly for nikaahs, Eid, wedding celebrations and even for New Year’s eve and birthday parties,” Bukhari adds.
This cap is considered a symbol of Hyderabadi heritage as well as a universal fashion statement. It even takes many millennials back to their roots. “It has nothing to do with religion or any one community anymore. It’s viewed more as a fashion statement, a unique headgear and a piece of history. It was a part of my grandfather’s and great grandfather’s dress code. During my nikaah a few years ago, most of my Hindu friends wore Rumi topis and that was truly heartwarming!” reminisces Aslam Shaikh, 32.
Bollywood, too, has had its share of the cap’s magic. The Lata Mangeshkar number Asa Rumi Topi Wale from the film Henna ( 1991) has the cap adding an oomph factor to the young Zeba Bakhtiar and charm to actor Rishi Kapoor.
But many cap merchants feel that the trend is strictly limited to occasions alone. “Our orders are limited to Eid only when kids and youngsters lap it up for namaaz and the proceeding celebrations,” laments Mohammad Ismail of Saharan Cap Mart, Hyderabad. On the other hand, Vishesh Talreja, a young Mumbai-based estate agent feels that the topi has spread its magic even to other Indian cities. In the Bhendi Bazaar area of Mumbai, he bought one for as less as `120. He shares, “I saw a large group of theatre artistes leaving with red and green versions of the cap for a skit.”
This cap is considered a symbol of Hyderabadi heritage as well as a universal fashion statement. It takes many millennials back to roots