Dabgar—(Sans: darvakâra, “a maker of any spoon-shaped vessel”).—The
caste who make the raw hide jars in which oil, clarified butter, etc.,
are carried.
They are also known as Kuppêsâz, from kuppa, the leather vessel which
they make (Sans: kûpa, kutupa). They have a Hindu and Muhammadan
section, but no regular sub-castes. They are divided into gotras, of
which the most common to the east of the Province is the Sribâstab, who
take their name from the old town of Srâvasti, in the Gonda District.
Others are Dehliwâl, Dari, Mochi, Sripat, and Bengar. The Census lists
give for the Hindu branch Bankar, Benbansi, Dhâlgar or “Shield-makers,”
Goliwâla, Jâti, Kanaujiya, and Sribâstab, and for the Muhammadan
Panjâbi.
It is possible that they are an occupational offshoot from the Chamârs.
[Occupation.] 2. The Dabgar makes usually two classes of vessel, the
kuppa, or large oil and butter jar, and the phuleli, a sort of little
phial for holding scented oil, which may be seen in the bâzârs hung up
over the shops of the Gandhi or perfumer. These vessels are made of the
clippings (katran) or the scrapings (gûdar, chhîlan) of raw hides.
These he cuts up, crushes and bruises in water till they become a soft,
pulpy mass. This he plasters over a mould of soft clay made in the
shape of the vessel which he proposes to produce. The leather pulp is
laid on in layers. He then shapes the neck on an earthen ring and dries
the vessel in the sun. The inner core is extracted and the mouth-ring
left to give stability to the vessel. Vessels of this kind are
doubtless a very primitive survival of the leather bottle which was
universally used by all nomad tribes. [271]
[Marriage and social customs.] 3. There is nothing peculiar in their
marriage customs, and their rule of exogamy is of the ordinary type. To
the east of the Province they are worshippers of the Pânchonpîr, to
whom they offer a mixture of pepper and sugar (mirchwân), which is
poured on the shrine, and the remainder drunk by the worshippers.
Sometimes they also offer in the same way cakes (pûri), sweets, and,
when serious trouble comes, a he-goat.