By DN Singh
There is a saying that ‘faith can move mountains’ and here is an example of how determination can tear through a small hill and make a road right through the massive rock.
One man could accomplish the humongous task to tame the rocks once the administration refused to build a road from the Tulubi village in Nayagarh district to the outer world.
When none could do anything Harihar Behera of Tubuli could not take it any longer, lives of an entire village would stop behind a rock (small hill) paralyzing normal life. He got up and took it on himself.
Patients cannot reach a hospital and a student cannot reach a school because in between the hill and Tubuli stands an inaccessible hill or say, a small mountain, crippling lives at one end.
When Harihar saw the unwillingness of the concerned minister who refused to wake up to their cause, Harihar took up the cudgel himself to tear a path through the mountain and he started single-handedly.
Initially, many villagers looked at his decision to dig a road through the mountain with shocking dismissals but Harihar didn't look back.
It was onerous and a gigantic task for a man to take on a mountain but Harihar started. His mission to connect his village with the outer world took him a long 30 years yet undeterred Behera did not hang his gloves.
His dedication had a tremendous impact on his brother and Krushna Behera who too joined Harihar before for the enormous challenge and both the brothers went on.
Even clearing forest on that mountain and removing huge rocks through occasional blasting.
Soon the duo realized that blasting was not a conducive mode to clear the hurdles so soon they took help of the traditional tools and did the wonderful accomplishment.
Regardless of the efforts the goal was still far off when they were occasionally joined by the villagers with helping hands.
Days, months, years; soon time passed and sadly Harihar lost his brother in the middle of the fight but his doggedness was intact and he alone faced the enormity of the challenge.
Thirty long years of patience and tenacity was no mere a mission as Harihar grew in age but weakness of age took a heavy toll.
But at last it was a mission accomplished that left the world awestruck.
Smiles sprayed all over Tulubi village and in the entire area when in-between the massive hill and Tulubi a 3km road became a reality and for Harihar a dream-cum-true.
He dedicated the achievement to the memory of his deceased brother as a tribute.
Then vehicles could go and the children of the village could go to their schools easily leaving footprints of fun and frolic all around.
Because, they were no more hostages in their own domain.
About the Author: DN Singh is a Bhubaneswar-based senior journalist.
DISCLAIMER: This is the personal opinion of the author. The views expressed in this write-up have nothing to do with www.prameyanews.com.
