Dash Manjhi (14 hratJanuary 1934 – 17 August 2007)
Famously dubbed the Mountain Man, was a laborer hailing from the village of Gehlaur, positioned near Gaya in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. Following the tragic passing of his wife in 1959—who succumbed to injuries sustained from a fall on a mountainous terrain, complicated by the mountain obstructing timely access to a nearby hospital—he resolved to carve a 110- meter-long (360 ft), 9.1-meter-wide (30 ft), and 7.7-meter-deep (25 ft) pathway through a ridge, using merely a hammer and chisel. After dedicating 22 years to this endeavor, Dashrath significantly reduced travel distance between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gaya district from 55 km (34 mi) to 15 km (9.3 mi). He journeyed to New Delhi to attain acknowledgment for his monumental work and received accolades from then Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. In 2016, Indian Post honored him by issuing a postage stamp in his name.
Early Life:
Early Years He fled his home during his youth to toil in the coal mines of Dhanbad.Later, he returned to Gehlaur and married Falguni (or Phaguni) Devi. Gehlaur was, and still is, a modest village with limited resources, situated in a flat terrain yet bordered on the south by a sharply ascending quartzite ridge from the Mesoproterozoic era (1–1.6 billion years) that obstructed road connectivity to Wazirganj. Incident and Path Creation
Incident:
After returning to Gehlaur, Manjhi took up work as an agricultural laborer. In 1959, his wife Falguni Devi fell victim to a tragic accident, getting gravely injured due to a fall from the mountain, with the nearest town housing a doctor situated 70 km (43 mi) away. Some reports indicate she sustained her injuries while attempting to deliver water or lunch to Manjhi, who was engaged in work away from the village beyond the ridge; other narratives attribute the delayed medical assistance to the rugged terrain rather than directly to Falguni Devi’s injuries. This heart-wrenching experience spurred Manjhi to commit to cutting a road through the ridge, aiming to enhance accessibility for his village. He believed the untimely loss of his beloved wife could have been averted and no one else should endure such hardship. Therefore, he was resolute in forging a path through the ridge to eventually provide the village with easier routes to medical care. He meticulously carved a 110 m (360 ft) long, 7.7 m (25 ft) deep in sections, and 9.1 m (30 ft) wide passage through the rocky ridge. The geographical coordinates are approximately 24.877°N 85.243°E. Manjhi expressed, "When I began hammering the mountain, people labeled me insane, but that only strengthened my determination." He wrapped up this monumental task over 22 years (1960–1982). His work slashed the journey between Atri and Wazirganj from 55 km (34 mi) to 15 km (9.3 mi). Despite facing ridicule, Manjhi's remarkable achievement simplified lives for individuals in Gehlaur. Eventually, he remarked, "Although most villagers mocked me initially, several came forward to support me later by providing food and assisting with my tools." Official roadways connecting Atri and Wazirganj across the pathway he crafted were only constructed post his demise in 2007.
Death
Manjhi was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer and admitted to the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on 23 July 2007. He passed away there on 17 August 2007. The Government of Bihar accorded him a state funeral.
For his remarkable achievement, Manjhi is widely celebrated as the 'Mountain Man'. In 2006, the Bihar government also recommended him for the Padma Shree award in the domain of social service.
On 26 December 2016, India Post issued a stamp honoring Dashrath Manjhi as part of the 'Personalities of Bihar' series.
In popular culture:
Dashrath Manjhi's narrative has inspired at least one documentary and numerous dramatic portrayals in Indian cinema and television.
The earliest of these was a supporting character inspired by Manjhi in the 1998 Kannada film Bhoomi Thayiya Chochchala Maga. Manjhi's tale was also featured in a minor role in the subsequent Kannada movie, 2011's Olave Mandara directed by Jayatheertha.
In 2011, director Kumud Ranjan, associated with the state-owned Films Division of India, crafted a documentary centered on Manjhi’s life titled The Man Who Moved the Mountain.
In August 2015, a Hindi film named Manjhi – The Mountain Man hit theaters and received positive acclaim. The film was helmed by Ketan Mehta, with Nawazuddin Siddiqui portraying Manjhi alongside Radhika Apte as Falguni Devi.
The premiere episode of Season 2 of the Aamir Khan-hosted TV show Satyamev Jayate, which aired in March 2014, was dedicated to Dashrath Manjhi. Aamir Khan and Rajesh Ranjan also engaged with Bhagirath Manjhi and Basanti Devi, the son and daughter-in-law of Manjhi, pledging to offer financial assistance. However, Basanti Devi passed away due to the lack of affordable medical treatment on 1 April 2014.
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