Monkeys abound in many temples and religious places. Vrindavan has an organised army. I stopped at Mathura en route there weren’t so many.

I was staying at my Grandmother’s temple in Vrindavan. As we approached the premises we were given a warning that phones, spectacles, any small objects should be concealed. As i got down from the car I was cordoned off and escorted inside. My slippers were tucked behind the inside door. I couldnt fathom the reason for this fanfare.

I settled in for a short nap to leave for the Sapta Devalaya Darshan. The place has changed. Cars are not allowed mostly, commuting is by smaller electric autos. I was going outside when I was whisked aside by Umashankarji the sevait of the Mandir. He supervised my attire adaptations. Specs tucked in my bosom, never to be used. A Cross purse cant be seen ever. Again under the drapes of my saree. Thankfully I was wearing six yards. My phone was impounded and handed over to my escort who tucked it into a pouch bag.

I then was propped behind Radhemohanji on a scooty no comments entertained. It was a long trek and no other transport was allowed on the bylanes. Nervously I clutched a sweaty T Shirt.

We reached the first stop through very narrow by lanes bumping on stone tiles unevenly laid. No helmets. I tentatively asked him with visions of my flailing arms and a cracked skull. I was firmly reprimanded that I would be safe.

 

The Radha Govindji Temple, this magnificent sandstone edifice. We trudged up a slight slope with colourful shops lining this road. Monkeys were scuttling around “cutely” Suddenly I felt a tug on my side and a monkey was dashing up the wall with my bag cum wallet. He had seen a bit sticking out.

 

He triumphantly sat on the middle level parapet inspecting my bag. There was a hullabaloo and men shouting and running with sticks. The monkey looked down indulgently. I thought I saw a gleam in his eye. In a blink the two parts were separated. My heart missed many beats, my Aadhar Card, Credit card and Rs 5000.00 ( petty cash for emergencies) were inside a zipped space. They surely couldnt access that.

 

Meanwhile they got apple, bananas and a Frooti to lure him down. He found a plain black weather worn wallet infinitely more exciting. He chewed through to the inner part, one tug and the money was flying asunder. Soon he was chewing something ferociously. My Credit Card! I wasn’t so alarmed as it could be blocked. My phone had to remain hidden.

 

I sneaked into a shop to call the bank and the irritating carousel came on. I did the next best thing. Called the Bank Manager to cancel it pronto. I whispered into the phone, he couldnt hear me. Understanding was even lesser. What monkeys. Why?

 

Panic welled in my heart. I came out to see that there were men peering from the topmost grill onto a parapet and signaling that the money was there. Some torn notes floated down.

 

I went inside the temple with my phone also in my bosom. The interiors were stunning. Lookin over my shoulder for the simians I clicked a few jittery pictures did Darshan and came out to see if anything had been retrieved. Nada! The chewed up Aadhar card had been collected somehow.

 

Very despondent about the missing money I asked the guards to call if they retrieved the money. They were not sure and rightly pointed out that if others got a hold of it they could not guarantee a return. Rightly so! I left it as dakshina and left quickly as time was short and the other temples would close soon.

 

I encountered stunning temples, myths, folklore but almost no pictures for obvious reasons. Some of them had iron netting on open areas. I returned home. Suitably chastised. On my return i learned that the driver had opened the boot to take out his bag. Two monkeys pushed past him and grabbed the bag of water bottles and soft drinks on the seat and dashed off.

 

The next day we left for Agra and on my return the same rigmarole took place as we proceeded to Bankey Bihari Mandir. A woman and her family were shouting as a monkey pranced across the parapet with a spectacle perched on his nose. The people were scrambling for food to get it back.

 

Aha I was wiser now. My glasses were firmly tucked in my bosom. As I revelled and opened my slippers at a Mandir a monkey snatched one and chewed it through. It had to be stuck with Fevikwik.

 

By then I was talking to my friend, the guide and commenting that they were very naughty and had no respect for the religion of their homeland. Chewing plastic and leather was not a nice pastime. Umashakar looked aghast. He said they were not naughty or wicked. All of them had Krishna within them and they were emulating him. He stole butter and they stole whatever they could lay their hands on. It was a strategy by them to be fed by others. Hmmmm. I guess there was a teeny weeny logic there.

 

The next night I walked to the Bazaar clutching my bosom yet again. There were not many monkeys around. They were tired after the day’s activities and probably resting. They were also wary of the locals. We left in the wee hours of the morning. Again there were hardly any. On one pile of garbage a few were scrimmaging. Probably for food.

 

Gokul, Dwarkadhish, Govardhan, Nandgaon had monkeys but none as precocious as the ones in Vrindavan. Makes me wonder?!

 

Kanhaiya?