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about the construction of the road and gave orders for a survey to be carried out.
It was agreed that if the boundary wall of Venuvan that adjoined the Circuit House could be moved to a spot 20 feet away, then a straight road through to Veerayatan could be built at little cost. A bulldozer was needed for the task. It was Kumari Nirmala Gandhi, one of Veerayatan's best-loved workers, who arranged for one to be brought. It moved the wall with ease. Now another problem arose. A bridge had to be built over the waters of the Ushnakund, a stream running from a hot spring that brings much needed irrigation to that area. The locals were resistant to change. It brought up all their deep-seated prejudices. But solving problems is second nature to Sadhvishri and she was soon able to overcome their resistance. She opened the floodgates of her own empathy and compassion, and bathed in this 'healing stream', the villagers were soon won over and their fears were completely dissolved. They joyfully assented to her plan and the bridge was built; the road, albeit unpaved,
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went straight from Rajgir through Venuvan to Veerayatan.
Construction materials for Veerayatan could now be brought in by tractor. Cement had
not yet been procured so the walls were made of a mixture of mud and lime. First priority was given to the construction of a 'Shrut-Sambodhi' to the north and a 'Prernatantra' to the south. Sadhvishri and her group of sadhvis decided to move into Veerayatan and they took up residence in the buildings even before they had been completed. Inadequate security and the lack of amenities did not deter them. They were
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