Chandrabir: The brave man who carved a road through rocky cliffs

By Gokarna Poudel, Tulsipur, July 27: Khamari village lies just off the Rapti Highway in Ward No. 3 of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City. Reaching the village, however, requires climbing the steep 'Saat Tale' (seven storey) hill. The man who carved a road through its rocky cliffs to connect the settlement, Chandrabir Wali, never had the opportunity to read or write. 

Today, students visit his home to learn about the remarkable story of his determination.

Chandrabir's life and struggle have been included in 'Hamro Tulsipur', the Grade 8 local curriculum textbook published by Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City. Man Bahadur Khadka, member secretary of the textbook preparation committee, said Chandrabir's story was selected because he is a local resident whose extraordinary achievement sounds almost fictional, yet is entirely true.

He single-handedly cut through solid rock from morning until night to build a road.

Khadka said the story was included to inspire students at a time when society is becoming increasingly self-centred, demonstrating that a person does not need wealth to make a lasting contribution to society. "What matters is commitment and determination. One individual can leave behind work that benefits people for generations," he said.

Stuti Khanal, a Grade 8 student at Hamro Pahunch Secondary School, the only cooperative school in Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City, said visiting Chandrabir's home and seeing both his life and the road he built alone had taught her that achieving something meaningful begins with having a strong vision.

Ekaraj Bhandari, who teaches Hamro Tulsipur at the same school, said taking students to Chandrabir's home to learn about his life has encouraged them to think more deeply about perseverance and making a positive contribution to society.

Similarly, Basanta Acharya, Principal of Tulsipur Metro College, said students gain valuable life lessons from Chandrabir's story and are inspired to develop a sense of social responsibility by meeting him in person.

According to Kalibhan Roka of Khamari, Ward No. 3, students have been visiting Chandrabir's home almost every day since his story was included in the local curriculum.

Now 82, Chandrabir began digging the road at the age of 71. From dawn until dusk, he worked every day with little more than a pickaxe, shovel, spade and hoe. 

His family of 12 has faced significant hardship, with his wife, three sons, one daughter-in-law and two grandchildren all being visually impaired.

Over five years, from 2014 to 2019, Chandrabir single-handedly cut through the rocky slopes of Saat Tale hill to build a three-kilometre road linking Khamari village with the main road network.

Bir Bahadur Bishwakarma, Ward Chair of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City-3, said the road has been officially named Chandrabir Marga in recognition of his extraordinary contribution. He added that the ward office regularly maintains the road and has also installed the necessary culverts.

Although Chandrabir never had the opportunity to receive a formal education, he says he feels immense happiness knowing that his life story has been published in a school textbook and that students now come to his humble home to learn from his experiences.

A traditional water mill located near his home continues to help support his daily livelihood.