i wasn’t supposed to make a stop at Galtaji (aka Galwar Bagh, “monkey temple”) but as i had extra time on my last day due to Air India moving my flight five hours later (luckily worked out great for me), my driver suggested it. i was a bit hesitant because well, i’m not really too much of an up-close-and-personal-with-wildlife person, but i’m glad i did it if only to cross off a monkey temple from a non-existent list.
in actuality, it’s a really scenic mountain temple complex (with or without the monkeys roaming around), and on the day we went (Sunday), full of people bathing in the sacred waters.
you can buy food for the monkeys from vendors outside the temple (or even bring your own, i suppose, if you want to save some money), and you must pay a 50 rupee fee for camera usage (people will spot check the receipt, so hold on to it). regarding feeding the monkeys: i (via the guide) fed them bananas, peas, and peanuts. you can get as close as you want to them, even feeding them directly to their mouths. you can also hold the food up high and make them reach up and grab for it. of course, having a monkey sit on your shoulder is also an option — just not one for me; i was uncomfortable enough just being in such proximity to them; who knows what diseases they’re carrying! just be sure to have some (or lots of) Purell on hand.
and this infamous shot:
update heh Google+’s AutoAwesome made this:
