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| Sunday, 13 March 2005 |
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Features |  |
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Digging a tunnel "Oh we are so tired of going round the mountain along this rugged road to reach the market place. Isn't there some other way of going to the market place," asked some of the villagers and discussed ways and means of travelling. The great big mountain, was an obstacle for most of them, as they had to either go round the mountain or climb the mountain and descend from the other side.
"What is the solution? asked some of them. "It is simple" he said. "Alright we are going to listen to you," they said "You need not listen, to me you just join me." "What are you going to do?" "I am going to make a tunnel in the mountain, so that we can all go to the other side without much trouble." "Just say something sensible will you" said some elders "All right. Those who like to join me can do so. The others can just wait and see what I am doing, instead of disturbing me," said the old man. Then he took a mammoty and a basket into his hand and called his two grandsons, "Will you join me to make a tunnel through the mountain?" The two grandsons nodded their heads in agreement and joined their grandfather. The grandfather started digging the mountain, while the two grandsons went on picking the earth and making a small hill. "What is that fool of an old man doing there?" asked one of the scholars in the village. "Well, he is trying to make a tunnel through the mountain, so that we all can go to the other side easily," said the villagers with great respect for the scholar. "See how foolish he is. He is in his old age and he should relax. Instead he is making a tunnel and those two foolish grandsons are helping him. See how foolish people can be," said the scholar. Despite the various rebukes and remarks, levelled against them, the grandfather and the two grandsons went on making the tunnel. Quite a number of onlookers, gradually joined them in succession without much comment and silently went on drilling the tunnel. Inch by inch, foot by foot, metre by metre, the terrace was made and the villagers realised that the old man was making a serious attempt to perform this in the best possible way. In the first instance, he was the leader for his two grandsons. There appeared many supporters with various kinds of implements like mammoties, iron bars, spikes and rods and baskets. Those who appeared to be just onlookers, now became active participants in the making of the tunnel. Some of the people brought tea or coffee and others brought food. Then came the singers who wanted to lift the morale of the tunnel diggers by singing songs in praise of the old man. Gradually the number of supporters increased and the determination too grew. The news spread gradually to all parts of the country and thousands came to see the work being done. "Grandfather you had better rest awhile, for we can continue the work" said some of the young men who came to do work. "No my dear sons, I am never used to being an idler. I have never eaten anything without my growing it. Therefore, I wish that this be done before I die," said the old man. This statement encouraged the tunnel makers. The day dawned, when the group of workers saw the light of day, from the other side of the mountain. They could see daylight from both sides. The tunnel happened to be the shortest cut from one side of the mountain to the other. "We should put a name to this tunnel and hold a ceremony," proposed one of the young leaders. "Lets call it Grandfathers Tunnel," seconded another. An opening ceremony was held. The old man came with a mammoty in his hand and in his usual working clothes that he wore all those years. The scholar of the village who scoffed at the grandfather was also present at the ceremony. |
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At old man listening to them said. "There is a solution". But the
villagers took little notice or no notice at all about what the old man
said. In fact, some of the village elders scoffed at him. 
