SIR,—I support Mr. Brocklesby Davis as to the meaning of
the word Pakistan. I was Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court from 1934 to 1946. Among the judges of that Court there were and still are men of great learning. When I wished to know the best English equivalent of words or phrases in much use by Indians in India I frequently asked an Indian judge who had special knowledge. About 1944 I asked the late Mr. Juqtice Syed Nassim Ali what the word Pakistan meant. Sir Syed was a scholar and a Moslem to whom the classic languages were Persian and Urdu (he could also translate Sanskrit at sight—as I have seen, heard and verified). He referred to the Persian roots of the word and replied "Pakistan means holy land." I asked him if it were a recently made-up word—P for Punjab, A for Afghanistan, etc. He smiled and said, "It means holy land.'" I said, "Moslem holy land?" He nodded. I notice that the newspapers rod the B.B.C. translate the words " Jai Hind" as "Victory to India." About two years ago when "Jai Hind" became a popular cry in India, particularly amongst Hindus, I asked Mr. Justice B. K. Mukherjea, a Hindu and a very fine Sanskrit scholar, what the words meant exactly. His reply was, "The nearest English equivalent I can give you is 'Glory to India.' "—Yours faithfully, Lowersland, Mare Hill, Pulborough, Sussex. HAROLD DERBYSHIRE.
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