Dashrath Manjhi Comprehension Test

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Reading Passage: “The Man Who Moved Mountains — Dashrath Manjhi”

In a small village in India, surrounded by rugged hills and rocky cliffs, lived a man named Dashrath Manjhi. He was a poor farmer who belonged to a community that had long been cut off from the outside world because of the towering mountain that stood between his village and the nearest town. The only way to reach the town — where people could find schools, doctors, and markets — was to walk around the mountain, a journey that took over 55 kilometers.

In the early 1960s, tragedy struck Dashrath’s life. One day, his wife, Falguni Devi, was bringing him food while he worked in the fields. She slipped on the rocky path and fell, suffering serious injuries. The nearest hospital was far away on the other side of the mountain. By the time Dashrath carried her there, she had died. Heartbroken and filled with grief, Dashrath decided that no one in his village should ever suffer like that again.

Armed with only a hammer, chisel, and crowbar, Dashrath began to carve a path through the mountain itself. People laughed at him, calling him crazy. “How can one man move a mountain?” they said. But Dashrath kept working, day after day, under the hot sun, cutting into the solid rock. He sold his few goats to buy food and tools, and when his hands bled, he wrapped them in cloth and kept going.

It took him 22 years of relentless effort — from 1960 to 1982 — but Dashrath Manjhi never gave up. When he was finally done, he had created a 110-meter-long, 9.1-meter-wide, and 7.6-meter-deep passage through the mountain. What once was a 55-kilometer walk became a direct 15-kilometer route. The villagers could now reach schools, hospitals, and markets easily.

Dashrath became known across India as “The Mountain Man.” The government eventually recognized his incredible contribution, and his story spread around the world. Although he passed away in 2007, his legacy lives on. Statues, documentaries, and even a film have been made in his honor.

Dashrath Manjhi’s life teaches us that determination and love can move even the biggest mountains — literally. His message was simple: “When I started hammering the hill, people called me a lunatic. But when it was done, they called me a hero.”

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Why did Dashrath Manjhi decide to carve a path through the mountain?

• He wanted to become famous

• He wanted to make travel easier for traders

• His wife died because she couldn’t reach the hospital in time

• The government asked him to build a road

How long did it take Dashrath to finish the mountain path?

• 10 years

• 22 years

• 30 years

• 40 years

What tools did Dashrath use to carve the mountain?

• A hammer, chisel, and crowbar

• A shovel and pickaxe

• A bulldozer and explosives

• A saw and wheelbarrow

How much shorter did the journey become after Dashrath built the path?

• 10 kilometers shorter

• 25 kilometers shorter

• 40 kilometers shorter

• 55 kilometers shorter

What was the nickname Dashrath Manjhi became known by?

How did people react when he first started working on the mountain?

What can we learn about Dashrath’s character from this story?