http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpMhG0MaWr8

These are the Rhesus Macaque monkeys of Jaipur, the Pink City of Rajastan. The video will enthrall you, give you shivers and be impossible to look away  from because you want to see what they will do next.  Monkeys have invaded the cities of India because of urban spaces encroaching on their native habitats.  It is as if they know they will be cared for as visiting gods, fed and protected with the free range to explore, bathe and eat at will. Because they are!  In the pantheon of Hindu gods is Hanuman, the monkey god.

He is thought to be the avatar of Shiva and the embodiment of physical strength, perseverance and devotion.  Hanuman  is one of the most popular gods in  Hindu India because he inspires his devotees to face ordeals and conquer obstructions in life. The  belief is that monkeys of India are the flesh and blood embodiment of Hanuman just as the elephants are the flesh and blood embodiment of Ganesha. It is part of the devotion to Hanuman, that devotees feed the monkeys on a regular basis.  It is this background that provides the monkeys with safe place to live and play in India. And did I remind you that Hindus do not kill animals?

The monkeys have lots of personality  and make their wishes known through hissing , snarling and even biting. We were warned not to put our hands in our pockets because the monkeys will think we are reaching for food for them.   This happened to our group when we climbed to the roof of the Mill Owner’s building to face the king of the roof, with his teeth clenched hissing and waving his arms.  We almost tumbled down the stairs to leave his domain!

Monkeys are smart, they remember, and return to a place where they are fed and safe, but in the meantime the cities are being infested.  The problem has not gone unnoticed by wildlife experts. I kid you not, I read that they are considering oral contraceptives to curtail the multiplication of the primates!  Now there are many questions I had such as how  would this be done, how would they know which monkey had had “the pill”, how often?  And many more. But it certainly does showcase the India respect for life.  Remember my post Tiny Indian Squirrel?

Urban monkeys, (Longtaled Macaques) waiting for breakfast.

Breakfast is served. . .

On the roof terrace where we ate our breakfast at the hostel in Ahmedabad.  (Longtailed Macaques)

Our cook, Mookus, sharing breakfast with the monkey.

Catching a few rays after breakfast. . .

Resting outside the neighborhood Jain temple. . . .

A photo-op at the Modera Sun Temple. . . . .

The following are taken as we walked to get a Dominoes Pizza for dinner. I got so excited that the pictures are not very good, but you get the idea.  Mallory loved the animals as much as I did!

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil?  

We were anxious to see them again after dinner, but this troop or cartload of moneys had moved on  by the time we got back!

This Is Incredible India!

Some images from Google Images, public domain