Many thought he was crazy when they saw him take on a mountain with his bare hands. But Dashrath Manjhi had a reason far stronger than the jeers to keep going 🥹
In 1959, this humble worker from the village of Gehlaur, in India, lost his wife, Falguni Devi, after she suffered serious injuries while crossing a hill. The village was practically isolated, and the nearest doctor was dozens of kilometers away, so she did not receive medical attention in time.
Devastated by her death, Dashrath decided to do something to prevent other families from experiencing the same pain. In 1960, he began cutting a path through the mountain, using only hand tools. He had neither machinery nor the resources for a construction project of such magnitude, but he kept working for 22 years.
In 1982, he managed to complete a passage about 110 meters long and 9 meters wide, which reduced the distance between two towns from 55 to 15 kilometers. Thanks to his efforts, thousands of people were able to access hospitals, schools, and markets more easily.
Dashrath said that his love for his wife was what prompted him to begin, but that he later continued thinking about all the residents of his village. Falguni was never able to travel along that road, but the man who came to be known as “the Mountain Man” made it possible for thousands of people to do so ❤️