“Dashrath Manjhi – The Mountain Man” will hold the first rank if we organize voting polls on who would be the Valentine ICON of the week. Why?!? Because he did almost impossible & extraordinary for his most beloved wife that nobody could ever think of.
To quote his line,” I started this work for love for my wife but continued it for my people. If I did not, no one would.-Dash Rat Manjhi”
Let’s explore why he deserves our fond remembrance this Valentine’s week for his devotion to his wife, family, and people.
The famous Dashrath Manjhi, a Musahar from Atri block of Gaya is lovingly called as The Mountain Man now because of his proclaimed work of breaking through a tall rocky mountain to build a 110 meter long and 18 m wide road just because his loving wife “Phaguni” had slipped away several feet down that mountain and injured her legs while taking lunch bundle and water pot for husband Dashrath Manjhi, who was then working on the other side of the mountain tilling & quarrying stones in the adjoining field of his landlord. The fact that the mountain has hurt his loving wife has anguished him so much that he decided to punish that mountain.
If we quote Manjhi, said ” That mountain has shattered so many pots, claimed lives. I could not bear that it hurt my wife. If it took all my life now, I could carve us a road through the mountain.”
Though his wife and other people called his determination as madness but Manjhi’s decision was steadfast. He sold his goats to buy a chisel, hammer, and a crowbar and went on to cut the mountain which took 22 years of his life to finally conquer the mountain carving a way that connects his isolated place to the city. It took 10 years to show people why they shall join him in carving the mountain so as to improve the life of the community as a whole.
But in this process, he lost his loving wife who fell ill while Manjhi remained busy carving the Mountain and could not reach the only doctor at Wazirganj lying at a distance of 75 kilometers. But the determined Manjhi could not stop there and continued his work for the welfare of people. He decided to walk through the Railway Tracks to reach New Delhi to ask India’s government to construct the road, water facilities, a hospital, and schools for children in his village.
In 2006, Dashrath Manjhi was honored by Bihar’s Honorable Chief Minister Mr. Nitish Kumar who shown ultimate respect and honor and helped him in every possible way to provide this isolated place with every amenities and nurture a civilization at his place.
Why visit this Place: Must visit the site for bikers and an ultimate destination for long drives, it will thrill you while you make a journey away from crowded cities. Being a depiction of love that is synonymous with Valentine’s ideology. This place truly depicts an outstanding example of selflessness and devotion to one’s love for his wife. The famous Mountain cut road is currently located in Muhra tehsil of Gehlor village in Gaya District. It is a 360 ft long and 25 ft wide road along the hill linking Ghivra Mauja Of Dashrath Nagar in Gehlor Ghati and Atara Prakhand at Wazirganj. The mountain walls have been painted to lure visitors and make it a tourist site.
Other adjoining top sites to visit: While you visit to witness this true depiction of love, do visit adjoining destinations like Bodh Gaya, Falgu River, Maa Mangla Gauri Temple, Dungeshwari, Muchalinda Lake, Surya Kund, Gayajipurohit, Pind Daan Gaya, Vishnupad temple, Gaya Museum, Ramshila hill, Kendui Ghat, Ajapala Nigrodha Tree as it is greatest tourist attraction & holy site.
Food to try: If you visit Gaya try savoring Tilkut,(a sweet delicacy prepared by grinding sesame seeds),Balushahi, khobi laddoos, khaja, and in fact all sweets will taste yummy and you would love to buy in volumes for everyone back home.
Visit Gehlor by Train: Though Gehlor is still to connect with Railway line, you may take train to Gaya conveniently from across the nation and take a taxi or arrange a bike to reach Gehlor in two hours. You may find several trains running in the Gaya route from everyplace.
- If you are currently in Kolkata and planning to visit Gehlor and adjoining sites in Gaya, you may book your ticket in Kolkata Rajdhani with train number 02301 which departs from Kolkata 4:55 P.M. every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday in the evening and arrives Gaya Jn at 10:37 P.M. same night.
- If you are currently in New Delhi and planning to visit Gehlor and adjoining sites in Gaya, you may book your ticket in New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express with train number 02302 which departs from New Delhi at 4:55 P.M. every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday in the evening and arrives Gaya Jn at 3:55 A.M. early morning on the following day.
- If you are currently in Mumbai and planning to visit Gehlor and adjoining sites in Gaya, you may book your ticket in Kolkata Mail with train number 02322 which departs from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal at 9:30 P.M. every day and arrives at Gaya Jn at 2:20 A.M. the third day in the early morning.
- If you are currently in Kanpur and planning to visit Gehlor and adjoining sites in Gaya, you may book your ticket in NDLS BBS SPL with train number 02824 which starts from New Delhi and arrives Kanpur at 9:40 P.M. every day and arrives at Gaya Jn at 4:47 A.M. the following day in the early morning.
If you are planning to visit Manjhi’s Gehlor and its adjoining top travel destinations of Gaya by train, you may order food in train online from RailRecipe. You may order us downloading RailRecipe App (from here) or POS www.railrecipe.com & directly calling Customer Care Toll Free Number 8448440386.
Drive away with Love,
RailRecipe!