Dak

/dæk/ noun

Definition

Mail or postal service, especially in colonial India and other parts of Asia. It can also refer to the system of relay transport using horses or runners.

Etymology

From Hindi डाक (ḍāk) meaning 'post' or 'mail service', possibly derived from Sanskrit द्राक् (drāk) meaning 'quick'. The word entered English in the 17th century through the British colonial postal system in India. The term was also used for the relay system of horses and runners that carried mail.

Kelly Says

The dak system was so efficient that it could carry mail from Calcutta to Delhi faster than modern postal services! British colonials relied on dak runners who could cover incredible distances, and 'dak bungalows' were built every 10-15 miles as rest stops for this amazing postal relay network.

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