Monkey menace in Brijbhumi, especially in Vrindaban and Goverdhan, is turning out to be a major deterrent for the pilgrims visiting...

Monkey menace in Brijbhumi, especially in Vrindaban and Goverdhan, is turning out to be a major deterrent for the pilgrims visiting the holy land where Radha and Krishna played the novel sports Maharaas. In order to prevent any untoward incident, we are sending a proposal for Monkey Safari at least at Tirth Sthals of Mathura, said Sarvagya Ram Mishra, the district magistrate of Mathura. He said the strategy of catching the monkeys and releasing them at far off distance has not worked so far.

The strategy of catching the monkeys and releasing them at far off distance has not worked

With the recent increase in incidents of a monkey bite, the necessity of monkey safari has been felt more, he added. The idea was mooted by politician turned actress Hema Malini, over four years ago when she contested 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Mathura. We would ensure monkey safari in Brijbhumi, she had said. However, there has not been much progress so far in this regard.

Hema Malini

When former President Pranab Mukherjee visited Bankey Behari temple at Vrindaban a couple of years ago, he was brought to the temple in a covered cart to avoid the monkey menace. Similarly about three decades ago, a lady district magistrate became a victim of monkey menace and had to offer them eatables to get back her spectacles.  The food problem is the basic reason of nefarious activities of monkeys, said Mahamandaleshwar Dr. Avashesh Swami, the head of Geeta Ashram Vrindaban.

A lady district magistrate became a victim of monkey menace 3 decades ago

Though on weekends they get enough food when the influx of pilgrims in Brijbhumi is larger, on rest of the days they hanker for eatables and apply different tricks to fill their belly. The abandoning of specs or even bags in lieu of some eatables shows the monkeys pick up these items for a purpose, he said. They also attack locals as well as pilgrims when their hunger is at peak. In Goverdhan, few monkeys make pilgrims virtually captive by holding both their legs together. 

The pilgrim is set free, only when the simian is offered food, said local businessman Raj kumar Tomar, a frequent performer of Goverdhan parikrama. Narrating the mindset of monkeys of different areas, Philonthropic Rakesh Tewari, the PRO of famous Dwarkadhish temple said, while in Vrindaban they deprive pilgrims their specs, ladies their handbag and children their eatables, in Goverdhan, Barsana, Nandgaon, Gokul and Baldeo, besides snatching the eatables, they even attack pilgrims, without being incited.

Besides snatching the eatables, they even attack pilgrims

In Mathura, they not only take away food from the kitchen but sometimes open the refrigerator and take away eatables, he said, adding they turn aggressive if anybody becomes an obstacle to their activity. According to Dr. Mukul Anand, Asstt Professor Physiology, Deen Dayal Veterinary University Mathura, the problem may be dealt with by checking the population growth of monkeys by adopting complete vasectomy in a planned way. Monkey safari is also a good idea provided the male and female ones are separated in Safari, he added.