When Heather, one of the volunteers, asked if I wanted to go to the Monkey Temple (called Galta) on Saturday (the 8th), I didn’t realize there would be so many monkeys there… I thought it was just the name of the temple. Well, you know me and my fear of animals. There were monkeys everywhere and people were feeding them so they would get really close and I would gasp and run away. It is called the Monkey Temple literally because there is a nice temple at the end of a trek in the middle of the mountains and there are tons of monkeys living in the surrounding area.
From the Lonely Planet guide book: “Perched between the cliff faces of a rocky valley, Galta is a desolate, if evocative place. It is also known as the Monkey Temple and you will find hundreds of monkeys living here–bold and aggressive macaques and more graceful and tolerable langurs. You can purchase peanuts at the gate to feed them, but be prepared to be mobbed by teeth-barring primates.” Yup, mobbed… well, not me, because when have I ever fed wild animals??!! Some people did though, and the monkeys all came running toward them. It didn’t help my fear also when we got to the gate and locals asked if we needed a guide because if we don’t have a guide the monkeys will bite you. Thanks dude. We didn’t get a guide, but I was slightly terrified.
I didn’t realize it was going to be a trek also so I had flip flops on. Grr. I had to walk very slowly on the rocky pathway. Luckily it was only 2.5 kilometers. It was a really nice walk and the views were amazing, despite the cows and pigs and their manure on part of the path. At the end of the trek we got to see Galta, and the Hindu temples there. There is a water area which is apparently sacred and which people dip their feet or bathe in. When I got to the end, I saw tuk tuks waiting and realized I didn’t have to make the trek back up. Phew!!
We started our day enjoying some of the best lassis in the city at the famous Lassiwala shop on MI Road. It is the original shop, since 1944, which apparently many have tried to imitate (with the same name and everything!) Our tuktuk driver actually took us to the wrong one (also called Lassiwala and also on MI Road), but luckily there were experienced lassi drinkers in our group! It was delicious!! Our tuktuk driver waited for us to enjoy the yummy goodness, and saw me wiping down the cup so I could keep it. He yelled something at me in Hindi as if he didn’t want me keep it. Indeed, he didn’t. He said it was dirty and I should get a new one. He asked the shop owners if I could have one, and they said yes. It’s a nice clay cup that I’m going to use to plant something in!
All in all though, it was a nice Saturday afternoon out in Jaipur!
–Bea
Bea Vongdouangchanh 