goat-skin, from
North India
North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
and
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
.
''Mashqs'' can vary in size, from a hand-held bag, which was often used to carry liquids such as
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
, to a large sized bag that comes with shoulder strap. They usually have only one narrowed opening. A person who is carrying a large ''mashk'' is called a ''māshqi'' (माश्क़ी, ماشکی). Traditionally, in the northern part of the
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
, the larger ''mashq'' was associated with the ''
Bhishti'' (भिश्ती, بهِشتی)
subcaste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...
who were employed as water-carriers by all other sections of society and often seen dispensing water (for a fee) in public places, gardens and construction sites.
Since water came as a great relief to people and plants during the hot summer in the northern Indian plains, the term ''Bhishti'' derives from the
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
root word ''bahishti'', meaning ''heavenly''.
See also
*
Bhishti
*
bota bag
A bota bag is a traditional Spanish liquid receptacle, used mainly as a wineskin. It is often made out of leather (when made of goatskin it is known as a goatskin itself), and is typically used to carry wine, although any liquid can be filled i ...
*
Goatskin (material)
Goatskin refers to the skin of a goat, which by long term usage, is denoted by the term ''Morocco leather''. Kidskin, used for gloves, shoes and other accessories, is traditionally goatskin, although other leathers such as sheep and kangaroo can ...
*
Matki (earthen pot)
Matki (or matka) is an Urdu and Hindi word used for an earthen pot. It is used all over the Indian subcontinent, as a home "water storage cooler". It has been in use since ancient times and can be found in houses of every class.
Production
T ...
*
Ring sling
*
Indian pottery
Pottery in the Indian subcontinent has an ancient history and is one of the most tangible and iconic elements of Indian art. Evidence of pottery has been found in the early settlements of Lahuradewa and later the Indus Valley Civilisation. Tod ...
*
Head-carrying
Carrying on the head is a common practice in many parts of the world as an alternative to carrying a burden on the back, shoulders and so on. People have carried burdens balanced on top of the head since ancient times, usually to do daily work, b ...
*
Oven glove
An oven glove, also commonly known as an oven mitt, is a thermal insulated glove or mitten usually worn in the kitchen to easily protect the wearer's hand from hot objects such as ovens, stoves, cookware, etc. They are functionally similar to pot ...
*
Pot-holder
A pot-holder is a piece of textile (often quilted) or silicone used to cover the hand when holding hot kitchen cooking equipment, like pots and pans. They are frequently made of polyester and/or cotton. Crocheted pot-holders can be made out of co ...
*
Trivet
A trivet is an object placed between a serving dish or bowl, and a dining table, usually to protect the table from heat damage. Whilst tri- means three, and -vet comes from -ped, meaning 'foot' / 'feet', trivets often have four 'feet', and ...
*
Tumpline
A tumpline () is a strap attached at both ends to a sack, backpack, or other luggage and used to carry the object by placing the strap over the top of the head. This utilizes the spine rather than the shoulders as standard backpack straps do. ...
References
{{reflist
Containers
Indian culture
Pakistani culture