Monkey Warning

In the old days, whenever dacoits struck in a village, people would be warned in advance of the time and place of the attack. Effectively, they were given a choice – to fight or take flight. Nobody wanted bloodshed.
Today we were served notice by monkeys – yes, monkeys. Jagmohan Papneja came with the news that two of them had been sighted in the Garden, swinging from the branches close to where we exercise. Apparently, they had played havoc in the dense foliage, scaring the hell out of some early morning walkers.

Dense foliage where monkeys were sighted today

Before long, we could see at a short distance, a wild frenzy had broken out among crows as they hovered agitatedly over a banyan tree. “The monkeys are in that tree,” Papneja proclaimed ominously. We continued to exercise in silence.
Soon word drifted in that monkeys had attacked Mala Towers, the apartment block opposite the Garden and panic-stricken residents were out in the compound. This time Papneja did not utter a word, but gave a knowing look as if to say, “This was expected. Next is our turn!”
Finally, whatever little sanity was left in us went for a toss when a terrified Khatoon Baig came running in and hurriedly announced that a monkey had paid her a visit in Millat Nagar last evening and feasted on all the fruits in her kitchen.

Khatoon Baig

“What is the worst they can do?” she asked. “It seems some trees were cut down yesterday in Goregaon and a whole army of monkeys are on the loose. What should we do if they come here and attack us?”
When told they were already here in the Garden, her eyes popped out of her spectacles. She refused to believe they were harmless creatures and would not attack unless attacked. “Badey shayane hain,” she argued nervously. “Monkeys are clever. They bite you!”
“Before biting, they slap you on the face,” Nafisa Sayyad educated her.
“Hai Allah!” Khatoon gasped. She had already charted her escape route from the Garden – as indeed, many others. After all, who wants to be slapped – that too by a monkey?!!
Bhaswati Bose:
A monkey will slap only when it picks lice from your hair. If you even move your head slightly, it will land a tight whack... The only way to ward off a monkey is to give it a mirror. It will hold the mirror and make faces at it while you can escape.