Inspiration
The Mountain Man
Dashrath Manjhi (1934– 17 August 2007), also known as "Mountain Man",
was a poor labourer in Gehlaur village, near Gaya in Bihar, India, who
carved a path through a mountain using only a hammer and chisel. He
carved the path in the Gehlour hills so that his village could have easier
access to medical attention, after his wife Falguni Devi died from lack of
medical care in 1959. The nearest town with a doctor was 70 km away
traveling around the hills, or along a treacherous pass through the hills.
After 22 years of work, Dashrath shortened travel between the Atri and
Wazirganj blocks of Gaya town from 55 km to 15 km.
He carved a path 360-foot-long (110 m) through-cut, 25-foot-deep (7.6
m) in places and 30-foot-wide (9.1 m) to form a road through a mountain
in the Gehlour hills, working day and night for 22 years from 1960 to 1982.
His feat reduced the distance between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of
the Gaya district from 55 km to 15 km, bringing him national acclaim.
Though initially mocked for his efforts, this only served to strengthen his
resolve. But as time went by, the unfazed farmer continued to split the
troublesome hill in half, he started getting some help. "Though most
villagers taunted me at first, there were quite a few who lent me support
later by giving me food and helping me buy my tools," he remembered.
Now all the people of Gaya district have nothing but gratitude of the
"Mountain Man" who made their lives so much easier.
For his feat, Manjhi became popularly known as the 'Mountain Man'. He
died on 17 August 2007 at the age of 73, while suffering from gall bladder
cancer in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi .He
was given a state funeral by the Government of Bihar.