Monkey wala baba (A monkey man)

Wild animals are free creatures. They have their own language and personality. Seldom have we pondered what animals feel when they’re kept in captivity. They do feel, sense, smell and get sad.

With civilization, man began to tame and domesticate animals, and started keeping them for various reasons, such as for safety, as a statue symbol, for entertainment etc., but in every case, humans are often involved in tormenting and hurting them. Nowadays, people have started keeping lions at home, which I believe is utterly inhumane. Lions, the king of jungle, have majestic aura and that make them both splendid and ferocious.

Zoos claim to have specific purposes: recreation, education, research and conservation. Animals are fed well and they have well-trained vets for the proper checkup of animals. Sometimes, resources are embezzled but inquiries are also carried out by the concerned authorities. Opponents are of the view that it’s cruel to keep animals in small enclosures.

Monkey wala baba

Recently, I came across a “Monkey wala baba” and got saddened at the plight of that little creature, chained and malnourished. I just thought for a minute how and from where these men catch monkeys. Scenes from the past flashed across my mind. A few years back while travelling through the hilly areas of Murree and Nathia Gali, I saw monkeys on the road side, with infants clinging to their moms and a few taking a ride on their parents’ backs. Vendors selling corns and grains were roaming nearby so I bought some for the monkeys, but was extra cautious because they are wild creatures.

These men must have caught baby monkeys from the town of Murree and other Northern areas. I did some digging to corroborate my thinking and it turned out accordingly.

I ponder about that baba and his baby, the monkey, and realized that it doesn’t matter whether he likes his job or not, because this job keeps him busy and his only source of income for the family. But it’ also inhumane to keep wild animals in captivity. Tears welled up in my eyes and I gave him money to buy something for the monkey.  

A sac slung over his shoulders, dugdugi in his hand and dress in rags. They go from home to home, perform in the markets and on the roads, and sometimes beg for themselves. Most of the times, people help them without watching the antics of monkey.

What we can do!

We can discourage them by refusing them charity, however, in reality, it’s not that easy to eradicate it completely. Most of the times, they’re begging because their spectators have dwindled due to the availability of other attractions. So what we can do is to help them when we feel a surge of intense sympathy for other living creatures around us.