This essay is beyond any doubt one of the best explanations of the origin of the word “Hindu” I have come across.

In this scholarly and meticulously researched essay, Dr Pahoja has refuted claims that the word “Hindu” is a medieval construct (given currency by the Arabs).

He cites historical evidence from a rich variety of sources to conclude that the word “Hindu” (like “Sindhu”) has been in use since the Vedic age and although it is a modified form of “Sindhu”, the origin lies in the Saurashtran practice of pronouncing ‘H’ in place of ‘S’ rather than being a corruption of “Sindhu” in Persian.

Please read this along with my earlier post on this issue, “Hindu, India and Bharat – The Story behind Word Origins“.

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See also this comment explaining the origin of the word, “BhArat” (the real name for India)

http://satyameva-jayate.org/2007/12/01/source-of-satyameva-jayate/#comment-10009

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