The monkeys of Ayodhya and Vrindavan: Why they are said to have such different behaviors – The Times of India
India is a land that accepts all. Humans, great sages, spiritual Gurus, cows, monkeys, and even lizards! There are no leaps and bounds when it comes to acceptance in India, and from the worship of owls, to the evil belief people have about black cats, one can witness it all.
And in the same land we have Monkeys, believed to be friends and ‘roops’ of Lord Hanuman and a beloved part of his ‘sena’ or army. And in India, monkeys are both revered and shoo-ed away. When a monkey shows up in a temple of Lord Ram it is worshipped and respected, but when the same monkey tries to enter homes, it is met with screams and cry. When a monkey sits down to listen to Ram Katha, it becomes a follower of Lord Hanuman, but when the same monkey wrecks havoc on the food stalls, it is chased away.
But recently, a new debate has come up – the nature of monkeys in the land of Ayodhya and Vrindavan.
The land of Vrindavan
Vrindavan, the land of Lord Krishna, is beloved for Krishna devotees all over the world. The land of Mathura Vrindavan sees Krishna devotees every single day, and from the Banke Bihari temple to the Radha-Vallabh temple, it is all respected by people. It is said that in Vrindavan, Lord Krishna spent his childhood, playing his flute, spending time with his brother and family, and doing his ‘Raas leelas’. The streets of Vrindavan are always bright and beautiful, filled with an air of devotion, and the chants of ‘Hare Krishna’.
But one thing in Vrindavan that devotees are terrified of is the Monkeys!
The monkeys of Vrindavan
Vrindavan’s monkeys have forever had a reputation of being clever, mischievous, absolutely fearless, and doing the most terrifying things to humans. When you walk in the lanes of Vrindavan, you are never alone! Why? Because there is always a monkey waiting to snatch something from your hands, or even your face!
They jump and run between temples, in small lanes, and even right next to shops and fruit sellers, waiting for you to let your guard down, snatch something right from your hand, and then they won’t give them back till you offer them something in return.
They could snatch your phone, your glasses, the prasad box, or anything else, and will give it back when you offer them maybe juice or anything else in return.
The nature people talk about
And of late, numerous videos have been doing rounds on the internet about how the monkeys of Vrindavan have the nature and spirit of Lord Krishna in them. The land that brought up Lord Krishna and witnessed his Leelas, is also the land that fuels the monkeys of the region, naughty, full of mischief, and always being by your side. Just like Lord Krishna would steal ‘makhan’ from Maa Yashoda’s kitchen, these monkeys steal anything they can get their hands on.
The land of Ayodhya
And then comes the land of Ayodhya, of Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram. The land of the righteous King, son, husband, and heir. In Ayodhya, Lord Ram was born, spent his childhood, was forced into vanvaas, and came back to rule his people who awaited him for years. Be it the war in Lanka or the Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya today, it is the land of devotion, good deeds, and spirituality.
And it is said that unlike the carefree, mischievous energy of Vrindavan, Ayodhya has a sense of peace and stability.
The monkeys of Ayodhya
And now about the monkeys, people say that the monkeys of Ayodhya are completely opposite to those of Vrindavan in nature. Although they are both animals, and the same species, there is something in their behaviour that is extremely different. They do not cause chaos, won’t snatch things from your hands, and wont even ask for things in return!
And people believe that these monkeys are the ‘vanar sena’ of Lord Hanuman, protecting Lord Ram with their devotion.
The comparisons people draw
Lord Ram and Lord Krishna are both the avatars of Lord Vishnu. But in their nature they are different. As a little child, Lord Krishna had hints of mischief and play in him, and he alternated between his duties as a ‘Gopal’, his duty as the God, and of course, a little boy with tons of energy and play in him.
Monkeys of Ayodhya and Vrindavan (Image generated with BingAI)
And Lord Ram on the other hand has forever been described as the ideal boy, from childhood to adulthood, one who was destined to be King and rule with love, fairness, and compassion.
And thus people believe that the monkeys of Vrindavan embody the traits of little Krishna, and the monkeys of Ayodhya protect Lord Ram and are in his service just like Lord Hanuman.
Could this be true?
Well the answer to this question cannot be one! For believers, nothing other than this explanation is true, and for skeptics, it is just the behaviour of monkeys that is ever changing. While some would say that monkeys, as pure beings, take on the energy of little Krishna and perform mischiefs, others would say that it is in their nature now to snatch something and then ask for food in return. And the monkeys of Ayodhya are less mischievous because they get food automatically instead of having to wander in search.
And so, be it a coincidence or divine play, the contrast between these two definitely adds more mystery to India.
