A *+$&. ’ ) N &+( Dashrath Manjhi was born in 1934 and died Aug. 17, 2007 at the age of 73. Using only a chisel and a hammer, he took 22 years, from 1960-1982, to cut a road 360 feet long, 30 feet high and 25 feet wide through a mountain that blocked Gehlaur, his village near Gaya in Bihar, India, from Wazirganj, which had running water, doctors, a school, and jobs. For most of those years, Manjhi was ridiculed for pursuing an impossible goal. Not only was he a poor laborer, he was a Shudra, from one of the lowest castes in Hindu society. " ose who follow the caste system believe people must live in certain places and have di ! erent access to jobs, schools, hospitals, and land according to the group in which they’re born. Manjhi began his task for his wife, Falguni Devi, who died in 1959, supporting his dream. For some, the story of Manjhi’s parting of the mountain is a love story, done in dedication to his wife who had di # culty getting medical care. It’s been compared to how the great emperor Shah Jahan of India built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his wife,Mumtaz Mahal, from 1632-1643. Another image that comes to mind is that of the Hindu god Krishna who is said to have lifted Mount Govardhana to shelter a group of villagers from the rain. What began as a labor for Manjhi’s wife evolved into a determination to help his entire village, one of about 60 in the rocky, remote area. By shortening a treacherous 34-mile trek to a manageable 9-mile walk across a safe road, he changed everyone’s lives for the better and gave them hope that there was nothing that couldn’t be done if you believed and persevered. When the Indian government gave Manjhi land as a reward for his impressive achievement, he donated it to his village for a hospital to be built there. " e road he had carved made it easeir for teachers to come to his village, creating a new school. Not only did the road make it easier for the villagers to reach the world, it made it easier for the world to come to them. Manjhi is honored in his village and all across India as the Mountain Man. M &'( Y &*. O 3" M &*"+!%" Dashrath Manjhi wanted to make life better for everyone in his village. He didn’t have money, but he had an idea – to make a path through the mountain – and was willing to work hard to make his dream come true. What kind of “mountain” can you move to make things better in your community? Some children have designated a “buddy bench” on their school playground so that a child without a friend can sit on the bench and someone will invite the child to play. Others have become buddies for kids with special needs, “adopted” seniors at retirement homes, or volunteered to walk or play with animals at shelters. Some children have started recycling programs. One California teen, Natalie Hampton, created a free Sit With Us app that helps kids $ nd someone to sit with at lunch. For more activities and ideas, go to crestonbooks.co and download a free curriculum guide. To share your ideas and see what others are doing, please go to nancychurnin.com where we’re celebrating the many wonderful ways kids can move mountains! 28
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