Patna, (BiharTimes): The mountain man of Gahlour, Dashrath Manjhi, who breath his last at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Friday evening got state burial on Saturday evening. Manjhi, who was suffering from cancer and was admitted to AIIMS on July 24 last, was about 80.

The chief minister, Nitish Kumar, flew to Gaya to receive his body which was brought from Purshottam Express on Friday afternoon. Paying a glowing tribute to him at the condolence meeting at Gaya railway station he said that a person was known not by his caste or birth but by his deeds. The chief minister said that the proposed hospital and road to be built in Gahlaur, will be named after him.

Speaking on the occasion the speaker of Bihar assembly, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, recalled that he was a man of great resolve who once travelled from Gaya to Delhi on foot. At each railway station he would seek the signature of station master and ask for food from him.

Dasrath Bhuniya, who later came to be known as Dasrath Manjhi, shot into fame in late 1980s when he accomplished the challenging task of hewing out 360 feet long, 30 feet wide and 25 feet high passage through the hill of Gahlaur. It took about 22 years (from 1967 to 1988) to complete this task––the time which Taj Mahal took.

Though the road could not be built during his life time because of the bureaucratic delay his dream may be fulfilled after his death. The passage dug by Manji has brought the two blocks of Gaya––Atri and Wazirganj––much nearer.

Though Manjhi made all these enormous efforts to mitigate the hardship his late wife used to face the truth is that once this road is built the later generation of the region will greatly be benefited.

Comment