Manjhi: The Mountain Man __top__ -
She survived the fall but sustained severe internal injuries and a broken leg. Because the mountain blocked access to the district hospital, Manjhi had to carry her on a makeshift bamboo stretcher for nearly 75 kilometers. It took him over a day. By the time they reached Wazirganj, Falguni Devi’s condition had deteriorated beyond saving. She died from what should have been a treatable injury.
The distance from Gehlaur to Wazirganj was reduced from 75 kilometers to just . A two-day journey became a 30-minute walk.
: After his death in 2007, he was given a state funeral by the Bihar government, and the road was officially named the Dashrath Manjhi Path . Film Guide: " Manjhi: The Mountain Man " (2015)
Today, the road is paved. A statue of Manjhi stands at its entrance—a short, wiry man with a hammer over his shoulder, his eyes squinting not in despair, but in defiance. Bollywood made a film, Manjhi: The Mountain Man (2015), starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, which brought his story to the world.
But here is the most poignant part of the story: When he was diagnosed with cancer, the nearest hospital that could treat him was the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi—over 1,000 kilometers away. The road he had built with his bare hands could not save him from the vast distances of a country’s healthcare system. Yet, he went to his death without regret.
Manjhi was shattered. In that moment of utter darkness, something snapped—and then reformed. He later recalled, “My wife died because there was no road. I decided I will not let this happen to anyone else. I will cut this mountain myself.”
