The Message or A Cry of Anguish — Page 59
THE MESSAGE OR A CRY OF ANGUISH 59 his comments. Remember, the book Surmah Chashm-e- Aryah was committed to writing as a verbal debate held at Hoshiarpur. It is common knowledge among hun- dreds of the Muslims and Hindus of Hoshiarpur that it was the Aryas themselves who prompted and provoked the writing of Surmah Chashm-e-Aryah. What is Surmah Chashm-e-Aryah? It is the debate held on 14 March 1886 between me and Munshi Murli Dhar (Drawing Master)¹ upon his persistent request in the house of Sheikh Mehr Ali Ra'īs in Hoshiarpur. All this detail has been recorded in the preface of Surmah Chashm-e-Aryah. This debate was conducted in a most decent and civilised manner and was read out before an audience of approximately five hundred Hindus and Muslims. What degree of falsehood and shameful dishonesty is this that this book should be declared as the root of discord between Aryas and Muslims? I am ready to pay every penalty if anyone can prove that I wrote this book out of personal motive and Lalah Murli Dhar was not responsible for it. To cut a long story short, I announce Lalah Murli Dhar himself to be a judge in this matter. Let him declare on oath whether this debate was held in Hoshiarpur at my instigation, or was it he who came to my residence and 1. A term used in the 18th and 19th centuries for tutors who taught how to draw. [Publisher] 2. On page 4 of Surmah Chashm-e-Aryah an extract runs as follows: I hap- pened to engage in a religious debate with Lalah Murli Dhar [Drawing Master] at Hoshiarpur. This came to be as Master Şahib himself came and requested for it. (Author)