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| Created by cutting and re-arranging Michelangelo’s ‘Christ on the Cross’ |
“May 8 to 17 [1832, Kabul]- I had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Wolff, who came into my room, and told me to listen to the Bible, and be converted to Christianity, which is the best religion in the world. My answer pleased the reverend gentleman very much. He added the following most singular speech : – That in the city of Bokhara he had an interview with Jesus Christ, who informed him that the pleasant valley of Kashmir will be the New Jerusalem after a few years.”
~ Mohan Lal [Kashmiri/Zutshi] in ‘Travels in the Panjab, Afghanistan, Turkistan, to Balk, Bokhara, and Herat; and a visit to Great Britain and Germany’ (1846), about his meeting with Rev. Joseph Wolff.
Apart from the wikipedia article about Mohan Lal Zutshi, I read that apparently he was the first ethnic Kashmiri to learn English. I don't know how true is that, because Mohan Lal as I gathered, was born in Delhi from Kashmiri Pandit ancestry, who came to Delhi many centuries ago before his birth. I also learnt that he converted to Shia Islam while travelling in Iran and married five different women through out his life producing four daughters and three sons. I believe Mohan is buried in a Muslim graveyard near Azadpur and his descendants live in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.