Bihar family waits for Aamir Khan to tell its 'Mountain Man's' story

Bhagirath  Manjhi and Basanti Devi, son and daughter-in- law of a man who single-handedly carved out a  road by cutting through a hill in Bihar, are  living in abject poverty. They now hope actor  Aamir Khan, who visited their village for his  TV show "Satyamev Jayate", will tell the world  the real story of their lives.

Both Bhagirath and Basanti are disabled and  live in penury at Dasrathnagar Dalit tola near  Gahlaur in Gaya district, about 100 km from  state capital Patna.

"I heard that a hero is coming to our village  soon. We will tell him the real story of our  lives full of misery,"  Bhagirath said in  Magahi, a local dialect, in reference to Aamir  Khan's proposed visit to see the road and meet  the villagers.

Dasrath Manjhi had single-handedly carved out  a 360 feet long, 30 feet high and 30 feet wide  passage by cutting through a hill near Gahlaur  with a hammer and chisel, working day and  night. He died in 2007 after a battle with  cancer.

The hill was between Attari and Wazirgunj  blocks in Gaya district. Thanks to Manjhi, the  village blocks have been brought closer.  Manjhi began his uphill work when his wife was  injured and he had to go around the mountains  to reach the nearest hospital.

Basanti, who said she was proud to be the  daughter-in-law of Dasrath - popularly known  as "Mountain Man" - said she will request  Aamir Khan to telecast their real story to the  world.

"We have been left in the lurch, ignored by  politicians and officials despite repeated  assurances to help us," she said.

"We have been neglected by the state  government and the district administration. No  one has helped us to ensure a better life for  us."

What pains her is that she and her husband beg  for money for an annual ritual in memory of  Dasrath.

Bhagirath and Basanti work in the village  primary school as cooks for preparing the  mid-day meal for children. Both of them are  paid Rs.1,000 a month.

Aamir Khan reportedly said he will visit  Dasrathnagar to dedicate this season's first  episode of "Satyamev Jayate"  to Dasrath  Manjhi. The episode, set for telecast March 2,  will be dedicated to a man who made the  impossible possible with his hard work and  dedication.