The Monkeys of Kasauli

There are a lot of monkeys in Kasauli. That is what I discovered when I visited the quaint little hill town last summer along with my father. Whenever you walk the streets, you can be sure of encountering a monkey every few minutes. In some areas, they are nearly a permanent presence. 

Along with the most common species of monkeys found in India (the Rhesus macaque), there is the grey langur to be found in Kasauli. For some reason, these species do not cohabit, and there are almost no monkeys to be found in areas where there are langurs. That is the case in Kasauli as well, with the langurs occupying the centre of the town and the Rhesus monkeys in the outer areas.

Both species have adapted well not only to living in close proximity to humans but also to obtaining food and drink from humans.

When my father and I visited, it was peak tourist season and a lot of people carrying snacks and soft drinks out and about. The monkeys obviously knew what they wanted and had devised ingenious ways of attaining their objectives.

While in the main bazaar one afternoon, I saw half a dozen langurs lounging about on a couple of benches by the roadside. When a group of tourists walked by, one of the langurs approached from behind. He tapped a lady, who was carrying ice cream, lightly on her back with one of his hands, obviously requesting her to share the treat with him. Unfortunately for him, she screamed in fear but held on to the ice cream, even as a shopkeeper carrying a stick approached quickly and shooed him away. He returned dejectedly to rejoin his mates and wait for another quarry. I silently wished him better luck for the next time and moved on.

The next day, while returning from a long walk down Upper Mall Road, my father and I decided to rest for a while on another roadside bench. I spied a couple of Rhesus monkeys sitting in a tree nearby. The female carried a baby that clung to her chest. As soon as a few people carrying food and drink came along, the monkeys climbed down and ran towards them. One of the visitors panicked and dropped a soft drink bottle before hurrying along. The male monkey grabbed it quickly and both monkeys ran back. They sat down to enjoy the cola under the tree. The male bit into the plastic bottle to make two neat little holes. Then, he put the bottle down sideways to let the liquid flow and form a puddle on the ground. They took turns drinking from the puddle. 

I suppose the monkeys love the sweet taste of soft drinks and ice cream but wonder what the added sugar does to their health.