Man Invests 22 Years in Creating Mountain Pathway for Quicker Access to Medical Services After Loss of Wife
**The Unyielding Resolve of Dashrath Manjhi: The Man Who Chiseled a Path Through a Mountain for His Community**
*Photo credit: Sumita Roy Dutta via [Wikimedia Commons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashrath_Manjhi#/media/File:Link_between_Ghivra_Mauja_in_Gehlaur_Ghati_to_Atara_Prakhand_Wazirganj_made_by_Dashrath_Manjhi_IMG_20191127_145150.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)*
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**The Tale of Dashrath Manjhi and His Vision**
Certain individuals are endowed with a resolve so intense that it challenges all preconceptions and stretches the limits of possibility. Dashrath Manjhi, born in 1934 in Bihar, India, is a prime illustration of such a person. Famously referred to as the “Mountain Man,” it was a profound personal loss that spurred him to undertake a remarkable endeavor—one that would forever alter his community.
In 1959, a devastating incident altered Dashrath Manjhi’s trajectory irreversibly. His spouse, Falguni Devi, while navigating a perilous and narrow path in the secluded region of Gehlaur Ghati in Bihar, fell and incurred grave injuries. Gehlaur, an isolated hamlet encircled by harsh landscapes, was far removed from crucial resources. The closest medical facility lay over 30 miles (approximately 50 kilometers) away, accessible only via a treacherous, winding route that circled a mountain. The absence of prompt medical aid led to Falguni Devi’s untimely death—a tragedy that profoundly impacted Manjhi, reshaping the direction of his life.
Manjhi pledged that no resident in his community would have to face such a calamity again. This marked the beginning of a journey filled with commitment, struggle, and tremendous labor, driven by unwavering perseverance.
**A Monumental Endeavor Spanning 22 Years**
The geographical solitude of Gehlaur and its adjoining villages posed significant challenges for the residents. Divided by a mountain, villagers often devoted hours to traverse harsh terrains to access fundamental amenities like hospitals, educational institutions, and markets. Had there been a direct route through the mountain, lives like that of Falguni’s might have been spared.
Determined to bridge the gap between Gehlaur and the neighboring town of Wazirganj, Dashrath Manjhi, armed solely with basic tools—a hammer and a chisel—began creating a pathway through the imposing mountain in 1960, the year after his spouse’s passing. It was an undertaking so seemingly outlandish that many believed he had lost his senses.
“When I commenced hammering the hill, people deemed me a madman,” Manjhi would reflect later. Undeterred by skepticism and mockery, he persevered relentlessly. While his neighbors initially derided his efforts, over time, many began to respect his determination, occasionally providing him with food and assisting in procuring tools. For 22 years—laboring day and night, through both monsoon and dry seasons—Manjhi diligently chipped away, making consistent headway toward his objective.
Upon completion, the pathway he created was approximately **360 feet long (110 meters),** **30 feet wide (9 meters),** and **25 feet deep (7.5 meters)**. His monumental efforts significantly cut the travel distance between Wazirganj and Atri sectors in Gaya district from **34 miles (55 kilometers) to 9.3 miles (15 kilometers)**—an achievement that larger infrastructure projects of that era had not sought to tackle.
His accomplishment transcended mere physical endurance—it represented a profound commitment to social equity, a testament to one man’s resolve to enhance the lives of his fellow villagers.
**Recognition and Heritage**
Following years of toil, Dashrath Manjhi’s work emerged as a beacon of hope and resolve. His contributions have had a lasting effect, providing more than just relief from the mountain’s barriers. The newly carved path paved the way for easier access to hospitals, schools, and markets, facilitating socioeconomic advancement in one of India’s most underprivileged areas.
Although Manjhi passed away in 2007, his legacy end