Is Earth Round: 1904
Chandradhar Sharma Guleri, was not only an expert in languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, English, Prakrit, Pali etc, but also in the area of research, essay writing and review. He taught Sanskrit in Mayo College Ajmer & Banaras Hindu University and subsequently became the editor of “Samalochak”, a monthly magazine in 1902.
Neither Lord Curzon nor Madan Mohan Malviya could escape from Gulari’s scholarly pen, which was laced with fatal combination of fearlessness and humour. When Madan Mohan Malviya changed core principle over language, Guleri wrote an open letter addressed to Malviya in Samalochak and asked how he changed his colour and asked “Is the Earth not round?”In the same letter he narrated an interesting tale:
“Maharaj! One teacher was scared regarding inspector’s visit and therefore asked his class to rote-learn geography. He told his student that earth is round and if inspector asks for the shape of the Earth, and if you don’t remember, I’ll show you my snuff-box (which was kept in his pocket) & you looking at it you answer. His snuff-box was round in shape. Inspector asked the same question to one student. The student looked at his teacher for the clue; the teacher pulled a snuff-box from his pocket. When the teacher pulled out a snuff box from his pocket- it turned out to be a square one this time! The student told inspector- “On Wednesday the Earth in square, and on all other days it is round!”. Similarly, people who followed Malviyaji , believed in Hindi determined by him and took side of this Hindi, are shocked to view a different box of Malviya ji.. Are curious to know from where did this second box turn up? It was present since beginning or now its requirement has emerged. ..(Samalochak. September 1904)