Why I hate Monkeys

OF all species on the planet, monkeys evidently come closest in appearance and mannerisms to humans. 

Some monkeys can be less aggressive while others can be quite violent or even destructive by nature. They snatch, they steal, they make angry screeching sounds and even attack. It feels specifically threatening when they stare you in your face with cruel expressions. When closely observed monkeys look vicious, wicked and ugly. From

 my perspective monkeys are unappealing & unpleasant animals. 

This one time a monkey got inside my car behind me and God, I was petrified !!! On enquring why it particularly followed me and not anyone else, a man near the temple explained that the monkey was curious to know if it could find something to eat in the bag I was holding. A lesson was learnt when I noted that no one else in the temple brought a bag along.

A mischievous, idiotic monkey once pulled down my skirt at a railway station when I was with my aunt. The skirt slipped down my waist easily because of the elastic band leaving a 12 year old me crying in embarrassment and fright.

So yes, my hate relationship with monkeys goes back many many moons.  

My encounter with monkeys has been mostly annoying until one horrifying incident made me despise them forever.

I had just delivered my first born baby girl.

Traditionally, after 21 days of childbirth the new mother is sent to her maternal home to recover from the post natal trauma and regain the lost strength. My parents & younger brothers who became 'Nana -Nani' (maternal grandparents) and 'mamus'( maternal uncles) respectively for the first time were elated & excited about this bundle of joy and the new addition I was bringing into the family.

The enthusiastic young nani made sure she had everything covered for the both of us. She set up a tidy room with all the required essentials in place - a kettle to boil water, self embroidered baby sheets , soft face, hand & bath towels, tailored diapers,  baby wear, entire range of the best baby products that included lotions, oils, creams, soaps, shampoos etc for which preparations commenced a couple of months before the baby popped out.

It is fair to say that no one can take care of you like a mother does. Just so I don't exert myself and get complete rest, she also appointed an experienced mid wife to help her take care of us. I don't recall the name but my memory of her is of a not- so- tall, slightly stout south Indian woman maybe in her early forties. Dark skinned with thick, long, black hair tied in a bun neatly arranged with fresh jasmine flowers that spread its fragrance around the house when she came in. Her attire was none other than a printed floral sari that she carried with grace, teamed with a matching blouse defined by a wide neckline on the back. She wore a dark colored thick thread- like chain around her neck that indicates her marital status. She was clean and always well turned out.

Prompt and punctual to show up until the last day of my stay, a diligent and skillful worker she did her job with utmost care and confidence.

She was assigned to give us both a massage first, then bathe the 21- day old. All of this took about 3 hours to finish so she came by 10 am and left around 1pm everyday.

It was nerving yet interesting to remark how she used various techniques with benefits to massage and bathe the infant. Her expertise to handle fragility was truly commendable to watch.  

After the exhausting bathing session was over, the tasker gently wiped the baby in a light towel, carefully wrapped her in a disinfected white sheet and handed over the new born to be fed. She would calmly wait until the feed was given, make the baby burp & sure to put her to sleep she then left for the day. This was a daily routine until something unusual happened one afternoon after she left.

My baby was comfortably and fast asleep on the bed between the delicate, powder pink-colored satin cushions hand made & gifted by my cousin. This was the master bedroom of the spacious, airy apartment on the second floor of the building.

The room opened to a small balcony that was overlooked and well- shaded by a big branched Gulmohar which stood planted on the left side of it. The door of this balcony usually remained open during the day to allow fresh air and easy ventilation.  

My mother and I finished lunch soon after which I headed to the same room to take a nap beside my baby.

The unexpected sight in the room took me by utter shock and devastation. A huge monkey with a dark brown coat, bold looking eyes, a  long strong tail almost like a fifth limb, wiggling its oddly shaped ears sat on the bed gaping at my sleeping princess.

A spontaneous reaction to scream or shout in this situation is predictable but presence of mind instructed me to stay still.

I didn't move.

I didn't leave the room either. 

I couldn't call out for help. I was afraid that any jerk or noise could provoke the animal to possibly grab my baby & run straight out of the door of the balcony from where I assumed it entered or it could slap or hurt her in any other way. 

After a few seconds in a feeble, low voice I called out to my mother. She came immediately and standing right behind me, saw what I was seeing.  Signalling her not react in haste or panic, I held her by the arm to stop her from stepping forward. 

The next few minutes seemed like the longest hours of my life. 

The horrible beast by now was fully aware of our presence in the room. It looked at us then looked at the sleeping infant, looked at us and repeated the same a couple of times. As I am writing now, fear and anxiety fills my lungs. I hear the pounding of my heart faster and louder.

The attack was seemingly undoubted and the helplessness equally unfortunate.

Suddenly my mother began to chant"waheguru waheguru" (a prayer) in tiny whispers. I kept a close watch on my baby from a distance that measured a few feet. She was in a peaceful, deep sleep without a worried line on her pretty, tender face. 

Have we heard of miracles ????  One such  happened right in front of our eyes. In an instant the ape- like creature decided to turn away, then jumped down the bed barging right through the door pouncing back upon the branch of the old tree. Without taking a breath I ran, not towards my child but towards the balcony to slam the door hard behind it.

Our exhalations were long, relieving and loud. My mother howled in gratitude for this could have turned out to be the worst nightmare of her life.

For days after the incident she kept questioning herself if she would ever have faced her son- in- law and his family had any harm been caused to the newly born grandchild.

It may not be impossible for you to imagine the chaos of emotions we felt in that moment and in the weeks of recovery that followed.