In the Gourela Pendra Marwahi district of Chhattisgarh, the villagers of Jodatalaab and Ghoghadbara have replicated the feat of Dashrath Manjhi, the ‘Mountain Man’, by carving a new road through a mountain. The Forest Department had recently closed the traditional path to these villages due to plantation work, providing a rough, elevated road as an alternative. This left the villagers in a difficult situation, as the new road was unsuitable for ambulances, school buses, or other vehicles. The old path, however, allowed access for these vehicles. A tragic incident involving the death of a young girl from Ghoghadbara, where an ambulance became stuck on the treacherous terrain while transporting her body, prompted the villagers to take matters into their own hands. Approximately 30 to 40 villagers united, using hammers, pickaxes, and shovels to construct a new, accessible road through the mountain, pooling their resources and working tirelessly. This road construction was undertaken without any assistance from the Forest Department or the administration, highlighting the villagers’ dedication and community spirit. Men, women, children, and the elderly worked together to break rocks and clear the soil. When the villagers requested the Forest Department to build a road, their request was dismissed. Undeterred, the villagers resolved to build their own path, facing numerous difficulties after the closure of their original route.
