Man,Monkey and my sunglasses!!!
By:Rajbir Deswal
Till I visited Jakhoo temple in Shimla that December, I had only known that in every man there was a monkey. But what happened with me on that day completely changed my perception of things at least with regard to the rhesus ancestors of us the homo sapiens.We were climbing the flight of steps to Jakhoo from Sanjoli side. Parallelly runs a steep pathway for those who might like to avoid the steps. The temple is seated right on the highest hill and is known for the monkey brigade being stationed there since the times people have been thronging the temple site.We were cautious not to carry polybags etc, which are a natural temptation for the monkeys to pounce upon or snatch by deceit employing the screeching sound produced with a grinny opening of the mouth, which we normally call a Geedar-bhabkee—or just an idle threat. All the monkeys around were then their usual naughty selves. Shrieking. Chasing. Hanging upside down. Mimicking. Scratching. Frightening those who could be frightened and avoiding those who should be avoided as per their known monkey sense. And once in a while engaging in that popular sport for which they are known to be putting their descendants, with their own tails devolved into their frames (if you believe Charles Darwin), to embarrassment, discomfort and inconvenience.We were four of us. Two guests from London, who in fact had wished to visit Jakhoo, being ardent believers in the might of Lord Hanuman. Monkeys then acquire a natural right to be present there that too in large numbers like the Vanar-Sena. Since I had visited the place earlier also, so I doubled as a guide too. I was leading the group and heading towards the sanctum sanctorum when the inevitable happened.I felt kind of pulling of the jacket from behind and some creatures crouched up my waist on to the shoulders. In less than a couple of seconds it all happened and I realized, only after being informed that a monkey had taken away my sunglasses. My guests had gifted the imported brand to me the previous day only.Quite helpless and sheepish, I looked at the monkey. He was there at a safe distance, holding the black blinders in his jaws. He looked to be careful enough not to damage them though. The monkey appeared to be a teenager. Neither still growing up nor grown up. Appropriate stuff suicide attackers are known to be made up of.When we are all gazing at the monkey in bewilderment, with the sunglasses clutched by the arm in the mouth, some onlookers had good fun at my cost. In the meanwhile there appeared a man on the scene, who later turned out to be a mediator, who suggested I offer some roasted gram to the monkey, in exchange of which he might give up his “claims” to the snatched glasses and he went on to inform that there were a couple of “mischievous” monkeys at Jakhoo who play such pranks very often.Left with no option than to toe the line, I took some gram from another visitor standing close by and with the stuff placed on my extended palm to the monkey, I tried to strike a deal. Quite surprisingly the monkey, as if, beckoned me towards a particular direction. And exactly, I realized later, towards the man who was himself a hawker selling roasted gram for five rupees per packet. And who had suggested the gram offer idea.When negotiations were going on between the monkey and me, the hawker reappeared on the scene with a packet of grams. And at the same time, seeking a confirmation from us that we shall pay him afterwards (of course), he insisted he only would himself be able to click the deal with the monkey who might still not oblige and walk away with the offer as also the booty if we made the offer. Once again we had to surrender but I started suspecting a design and a trap.The hawker approached the monkey and threw up in the air the packet which was grabbed by the latter, simultaneously releasing his jaws and allowing the sunglasses to land in the hands of the hawker, like a very well taken catch. Everything happened with a masterly dexterity exhibited both by the monkey and the man and I got my blinders back.All through our return journey, I kept wondering whether or not the man and the monkey were hands in glove with each other? Whether or not it was merely a coincidence? Whether or not the hawker had really trained a couple of the rhesus. Whether or not I should call the monkeys mercenaries and the man “master of ceremonies”? And above all, whether or not there is a man too in the head of a monkey?
