The Mountain Man
After spending beautiful time at
beautiful place Rajgir, next day I set out for Ranchi, so I took another route
that was a single road parallel to the mountain range goes to Gaya. So I
decided to hit that new route and set out for Gaya which is about 60 kms from
Rajgir. The day was cool and scattered clouds making the sun hide and seek
adding more romance in that route.
As we just
turned right after crossing the mountains for Gaya it was very beautiful
landscape of rural areas of Bihar, village folks were working in paddy fields
transplanting paddy in colorful attires were also adding more attraction and I
was grasping that the scenic beauty as much I could through my eyes, as if a
very delicious meal is served in my platter and I am relishing it very slowly
one by one but still I am insatiable with the captivating view of that rural
areas and deep into my heart a slogan was ringing “Ye Dil Maange More”
After going about 20 kms the road led us to right again through a small
cave of the mountain and then left but the road was still running just beneath
the mountain then after going about 5-7 kms there was a curve and after that
curve suddenly I hit a sleepy but
nondescript hamlet called “Gehlaur” located
in Muhra Tehsil of Gaya district. As
I reached my eyes become wide open to see that the nondescript village came
onto national as well as international radar by a simpl poor agriculture labor called Dashrath Manjhi, by carving a path
after cutting the mountain in Gehlour village in Gaya district using very simple
tools hammer and chisel rigorously working round the clock for almost 22 years
and completed his inimitable path in 1982. As the folklore goes Dashrath Manjhi
was a poor, simple and had ordinary life till he lost his beloved wife due to
that mountain while she was carrying cocked meal for him and lost balance and
fell from that mountain and later died. Deeply hurt with anger, grief and
vengeance he single handedly carved the path, after cutting the mountain which
was seemed impossible. It proved as boon for the villagers as before that path
villagers use to go to Vajirpur a nearby small town from Gehlour village
travelling about 80 kms but after the path is carved by Dashrath Manjhi the
distance become very minimal about 2 kms.
In this way
Dashrath Manjhi become famous as “Mountain
Man of India” and his name is synonymous with determination, self- belief
and perseverance. A biopic film is also made named “Mountain man” on him
casting Nawazuddin Siddiqi and Radhika Apte and become a milestone. While unknowingly
and luckily I hit that sleepy hamlet, I found nothing there not a single tea
stall but there was one small shop where I bought some biscuits and toffees and
distributed among the small children just to find glow on their faces. The
Bihar Government has made that road motor able, a huge entrance gate and a
resting place for the visitors. This nondescript hamlet came onto International
radar just due to mountain man Dashrath Manjhi. After spending about an hour
and moving around and with lot of pleasant memories of Dashrath Manjhi of
Ghelour. In that torrential rain which
was unabatedly raining I reached Dobhi where I had tea and snacks and hit the
GT road and after that I set out for Hazaribagh where I had lunch and by the
evening I reached Ranchi with lot of good, bad, experiences and sweet memories.
Dashrath
Manjhi- born January 14, 1934,
Died-
August 17, 2007, Bihar, India, and was given state funeral,
District and nearby City- Gaya,
PIN- 824231.
Text and Photos by- Ashok
Karan,
Ashokkaran.blogspot.com,
Please like and share.
Thanks
Leave a Reply