Plural of dartar; Indian or South Asian soldiers or police officers, particularly in colonial-era British India.
From Hindi 'dartar' or Urdu, possibly from Persian 'darbār' (court) or a corruption of military rank terms. The word appeared in British colonial literature describing South Asian military units and police forces.
During British colonial rule in India, 'dartars' were the Indian police and soldiers who served under British command—a term that reveals the complex military hierarchies of colonialism!
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