Gaya (Bihar): An indomitable spirit of Dashrath Manjhi, popularly known as Mountain Man, has become a source of inspiration for scores of people in the country. His memorial at Gehlaur in Gaya district of Bihar has become a tourist hotspot. People from various parts of the country, including overseas, have been thronging the place get a firsthand feel of this gritty personality, on Tuesday.
People come to this place to give salute to Manjhi who tirelessly worked for 22 long years to carve a way out after chiseling a 360 feet high hill. There was no road link to his remote village and several other adjoining hamlets. In this treacherous hilly terrain, there were no pathways.
Once, wife of Manjhi Faguni Devi, carrying him food tripped. She fell on the ground while trudging on the hilly route. She suffered fatal injury. It took several hours to reach the nearest medical facility, ultimately leading to her death. It is his loss that prompted him to take up the herculean task.
Manjhi firmed up his resolve to construct a pathway razing the hill. He worked diligently for 22 long years to cut the mountain to make the passage way. Now, scores of people have been using mountain passage built by Manjhi. The Mountain Man's love for his wife and the posterity has become a source of inspiration for couples and others alike.
What visitors say? Aarti Kumari, a tourist visiting Manjhi's memorial, said, "It's truly a symbol of true love. A must-see place for lovers and others also." Another tourist Dr Ravindra Kumar explains, "Mughal emperor Shahjahan built Taj Mahal in the fond memory of wife Mumtaz Mahal. In building the Taj Mahal, thousands of artisans and workers were involved in the construction of heritage site. But Dashrath Manjhi achieved the feat single-handedly. Kudos to him." An elderly tourist from Japan Akoda who was speaking with the help of an interpreter said, "I was surprised to see such a unique place on earth. Dashrath Manjhi's love for his wife is a great story. It was very inspiring for me."
