Mashk

For the Arabic calligraphic form, see Mashq. For the village in Iran, see Mashk, Iran.

A mashk (Hindi: मश्क) - (Urdu: مشک) or mashq (मश्क़, مشق) is a traditional water-carrying bag, usually made of waterproofed goat-skin, from North India, Pakistan and Nepal.

Mashqs can vary in size, from a hand-held bag, which was often used to carry liquids such as alcohol, to a large man-sized bag that comes with shoulder strap. They usually have only one narrowed opening. A person who is carrying a large mashq is called a māshqi (माश्क़ी, ماشقی). Traditionally, in the northern part of the South Asia, the larger mashq was associated with the Bhishti (भिश्ती, بهِشتی) subcaste 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 root word bahishti, meaning heavenly.

See also

• Bhishti