Notorious Monkeys of Jaipur – Jaipur, India
What is It – Jaipur, the popular “pink city” in Rajasthan, India is known for its palaces, forts, and marketplaces. But like some other cities in India, its streets, public parks, and temples are often shared by both animals and people. They coexist in a way that is surprising for first-time visitors. One reason is the sacred way in which cows and other animals are regarded in Hinduism and Jainism. They are believed to have souls by Hindus and to be equal participants with humanity in the eternal process of reincarnation. In addition, the loyal monkey Hanuman is a popular hero in the Hindu epic story of the Ramayana which presents him as the incarnation of Lord Shiva.
Nevertheless, conflicts do arise and in Jaipur the duality of reverence and irritation with the thousands of monkeys which inhabit the city can be seen at many locations. One place is at the popular 15th century Amer Fort and the surrounding neighborhood, and another is at a heavily promoted tourist destination a few miles outside of the city known as the Monkey Temple or Galta Temple.
The notorious monkeys of Jaipur were recently profiled in a National Geographic documentary series known as “Monkey Thieves.” The producers were able to follow the daily habits and activities of a troop of more than 50 Rhesus macaque monkeys. It filmed them devouring the food offerings of worshipers and tourists at the Monkey Temple, bathing in the temple's large water tank, or playing with temple visitors and each other. However, the documentary also showed how sometimes they leave the temple and go foraging through the houses and possessions of neighboring residents. Rhesus monkeys are found throughout Jaipur and are easily recognizable by their pink faces and coordinated group behavior. The respected BBC America documentary “Planet Earth 2” also recorded a group of Jaipur macaques for 5 years while they moved into an unoccupied building in the city, raided the food markets on a daily basis, and fought for turf with shopkeepers.
Efforts by local officials to balance the environmental needs of both species have consisted of hiring contractors to catch troublesome monkeys and introducing some groups of larger grey Langur monkeys. They are known for their black faces, long tails, more relaxed disposition, and less threatening interactions with humans.
I was considering visiting the Monkey Temple during one of our days in Jaipur but had some doubts about going there after reading numerous reports that the artificial habitat created at the temple had become a dirty and unpredictable experience. Our guide recommended instead that we look at the monkeys when we visited the Amer Fort that day and then go for a walk the next morning to a lake area beneath the fort in Amer to observe several small monkey troops.
The experience was a memorable one. There is a lake and a tiny dam located just outside of the Amer village with a small temple occupied by a local guru next to it. As I walked up a dirt road from the village and approached the lake with my guide, a herd of cows passed us on the road. They nudged open a gate on their own and headed out into the field to graze by the lake. A few minutes later, a group of young men arrived with their morning coffee and breakfast. They sat on the wall by the dam telling stories and laughing with each other. Next, a troop of about 10 monkeys came down from the mountain, drank some water from the lake stream and took up a position on the dam wall near the men. They chewed on some fruit and a few of them began to groom each other. Occasionally the men would throw a piece of bread or garbage over in the monkeys' direction which they would quickly eat, play with, or fight over.
We watched this interesting scene of intersecting habitats play out for a while until I was startled by the local guru who emerged from the lake wearing nothing but a loin cloth. He said good morning in perfect English and asked if we were out for a walk. I said we came to the lake "looking for Hanuman". He laughed, pointed to the monkeys and the men, and invited us in for tea.
Interesting Facts - Notwithstanding my bucolic experience by the lake, unpleasant incidents and conflicts over resources continue between monkeys and local populations according to Times of India which reports sporadic monkey attacks.
How to Get Here - Jaipur is one of three cities in the tourism “Golden Triangle” along with Delhi and Agra. Just about every land tour of northern India or Rajasthan will include an overnight stop in Jaipur. If driving on your own, the best route is to take the NH48 highway to Jaipur from Delhi or the NH21 from Agra. There are also flights to Jaipur by Indian domestic airlines from Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and several other locations. While a stop at the Monkey Temple remains the principal way for visitors to experience the interesting behavior and role of monkeys in Indian society, savvy guides may be able to recommend another venue such as the village of Amer to see the animals.
Where to Stay - Jaipur has many outstanding hotels such as the Taj Rumbaugh Palace heritage hotel and the Oberoi Rajvilas luxury hotel. The Trident Hotel which is a division of Taj is a modern and moderately priced hotel located opposite the Mansagar Lake and the Jal Mahal palace on the road to the Amer Fort.
When to Go- The temperature can be scorching in Rajasthan from April through July with daytime temperatures routinely more than 95 degrees. The rainy season takes place during July and August also. While nights can be cool in the desert and mountain climate of the area from November to February, daytime temperatures range from 70 to 90 degrees between September and March making those seven months the most ideal times to visit the city.