The day of the monkey

Today is Hanuman Jayanti, a day to ponder the mysteries of a faith that makes a monkey out of god and vice versa.

Granted that Hanuman was strong and brave and did many good things in the Ramayana. Hurrah for him.

But monkeys are not like Hanuman. They just look the same.

Monkeys are thieves and vandals, particularly the black-faced monkeys who live in this area. They would rather beg and steal than forage for food in the jungles where there is plenty. They are greedy, destructive, vain, lazy.

In fact, they are a lot like all those people we don’t like or would rather not be friendly with. Except those people don’t come swinging through the trees to land on your roof or pop their heads in through your window. They don’t break into your home to pee and crap all over the place. They don’t bare their teeth at you and growl. Or admire their black faces in your windowpanes.

You don't build temples to such people and worship them.

And you don't have special days when you feed these thieves and vandals.

Imagine if you did.