The love that split the mountain

There are many curiosities and wonders in India, perhaps the most famous and most memorable of which is the “Taj Mahal” shrine, which was chosen a few years ago as one of the new seven wonders of the world. The Taj Mahal, for those who do not know it, is a majestic shrine built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to commemorate his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who was He had a great love for her, so his building was as great as that love, and it was adorned with splendor beyond its splendor with the story of sincerity and loyalty that brought the two spouses together. It is no wonder after that that it became a destination for tourists who flocked to it from different parts of the world to feast their eyes upon seeing its white ivory walls and domes.

The love that split the mountain
Taj Mahal...a wonder of the world
But what most people do not know is that India includes another masterpiece similar to the “Taj Mahal” in terms of meaning and significance. It was the work of a man who loved his wife very much and wanted to immortalize her memory with an edifice whose traces would not be erased by the succession of days and years. It is true that it is not as splendid as the Taj. It is a shop, and it does not compare to it in terms of precision of workmanship and magnificent appearance, but it is fair and no less than it in terms of the greatness of the achievement if we take into account the humble capabilities of its maker. He was not a ruler, nor a rich person, and he did not have an entourage, servants, or decency. Rather, he was a simple person, whose name is “Dashrath Manjhi.” “All he possessed of the tinsel and decorations of the world was anything but a modest hut, an old rusty axe, and four lean sheep...but he was not poor as you might think and expect, dear reader. The poor is the one who compares himself to others, and his soul is torn with regret because he does not have what they have. As for the rich, he is The content person who only looks at what is in his hands, is satisfied with his livelihood, and buys peace of mind with a lack of money. Our friend was of the latter type. He was content with what his Lord had given him. He did not grumble or complain. Rather, you saw him cheerful and always smiling. This matter was a cause of astonishment for his neighbors and colleagues in the coal mine in which he worked, because he was the poorest of them and had the lowest status, as he belonged to the class of outcasts that She lies at the bottom of the Hindu class ladder..And yet he is happy and happy, so what is his secret? ..

The love that split the mountain
People had to cross steep slopes to reach the city
In fact, there was no secret. It was very simple. Our friend possessed wealth that others rarely possessed. It was not gold, diamonds, or rubies, but rather a good, beautiful wife, loyal and content, and very keen on the comfort of her husband and children. She was the source of his happiness and the secret of his happiness. And the light that illuminates his eyes.

But one of the bitter truths of life is that nothing lasts forever. Everything has a conclusion and an end, even the happiness of our friend “Dashrath,” despite its simplicity and insignificance. One day, Dashrath went to work in a mine located on the outskirts of his town, where there were some rocky mountains and hills. It was his wife’s habit to carry food and water to him every day at lunchtime, and while she was on her way to him, she tripped over the clay food pots as her foot slipped on one of the rocky slopes. She rolled down the hill and was seriously injured, so people carried her to her home while she was bleeding.

When Dashrath returned from work, he found his wife bedridden and severely wounded. Her condition was bad, and she had to be taken immediately to the hospital to receive treatment. However, there is a high mountain separating the small town of Gahlor, where Dashrath lives, from the big city where the hospital is located. To turn around the mountain was It was necessary to walk on bumpy roads for a distance of 70 kilometers, and therefore it was not possible for the ambulance to arrive, and it was not possible to transport the wife, and she soon died the next day.

The death of his beloved wife was a great shock that shook Dashrath’s being and turned his life upside down. He sank into deep sadness and isolated himself in his home, cut off from people. He remained in this state for days, barely eating or drinking, and spending his time crying.

But one morning, the neighbors were surprised to see “Dashrath” leaving his house with a thick beard and disheveled hair, carrying his ax on his shoulder, and heading towards the mountain that separates the town from the big city, and when they asked him: Where are you going? .. He answered them, saying that he was going to teach the mountain a lesson because it prevented his wife from being treated and caused her death! .. They shook their heads sorry for the man and thought that he had lost his mind as a result of the shock of his wife’s death.

The love that split the mountain
He decided to make a path in the mountain using only an axe
But Dashrath was not as crazy as they thought. He had a plan, perhaps a little crazy! But in the end, it was an idea that he believed in and worked to implement, no matter the cost. The man wanted to build a road in the heart of the mountain in order to connect his remote town with the big city, where there are hospitals, schools, government offices, and jobs. He said that he did not want another woman to face the same fate as his wife due to the impossibility of transporting her. To the hospital, he does not want the children of his town to remain without education due to the inability to reach schools, and he does not want its youth to remain unemployed due to the inability to obtain jobs.. The road that “Dashrath” planned to build in the heart of the mountain was going to shorten the distance to the city from 70 km to 15 Just km, and it would have made it easier for people to access hospitals, schools and jobs in the city.

Certainly, Dashrath's goal was lofty and noble, but it also seemed impossible in all respects. It is no wonder that the man became the laughing stock of his town and the subject of ridicule and belittlement among its people. How could a skinny and poor man who only had a rusty ax make his way through the heart of the mountain? However, the ridicule did not discourage Dashrath from continuing with his project, but rather increased his will and determination, to the point that he sold his four sheep to buy chisels with which to pound the rock.

Days, months, and years passed, and Dashrath continued to go to the mountain every night to work on building the road. As for the day, he spent plowing other people’s fields to get some money to support his children and family.

The love that split the mountain
It took Dashrath 20 minutes to build a road in the mountain... and it took the government of India 30 years to pave it!! ..
Gradually, that small furrow that Dashrath made at the top of the mountain turned into a large hole, and the hole turned into an abyss, and the abyss into a great rift... and with it, people’s laughter and sarcasm turned into astonishment, wonder, and astonishment.