Uttar Kashi

Professor Arnold Dix, the internationally renowned underground tunneling expert said he saw the entire episode of the 17-day rescue operation at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, where 41 workers remained trapped for 17 days as a spiritual experience.

A video of Dix getting up from a rock near the mouth of the tunnel moving towards a makeshift temple sitting in a Padmasan posture and offering prayers has gone viral on social media. In the video clip, a priest joins him and both pray with folded hands for the safety of the workers, a couple of hours before the 41 workers are finally rescued.

The Australian expert told the Indian media persons about the spiritual experience he had while working to rescue the trapped workers. He said “as an underground tunneling expert I saw the entire operation as an epic of a 3000-year-old mountain taking in the 41 young and hardworking people, who haven’t done anything wrong. It keeps them warm; doesn’t let them see the sun and permits us to insert pipes so that we can send them food and medicines.”

Here is the clip of Dix's interview that went viral on  X:

Reporter : How much do you believe in God ?

Arnold Dix : When I go to the tunnel I do a small prayer, I need help-if the mountain doesnt want to release these men, they will not be released🙏

I am completely humbled by the universe-when we all work underground, no matter what… pic.twitter.com/A5XJJZESG5

— Sameer (@BesuraTaansane) November 28, 2023

He said each time the machines and men outside working for rescuing the trapped men thought they had made a breakthrough in reaching them the mountain caved in

He said at the end he realised that as a human he had to pray to the Mountain to release the 41 people.

He said miners all over the world prayed before entering a mind or a tunnel and sought divine blessings for safety.

Locals have faith in local diety Boukh Nath and villagers and rescuers all prayed at the makeshift temple made on a steel frame supported by four iron legs and kept close to the mouth of the Silkyara tunnel.