‘Onasadya' for monkeys

A troop of monkeys on the Pookode Lake premises partook of a sumptuous ‘Onam feast' prepared by the staff of the Gandhigramam on Tuesday.

The feast was served on the precincts of the Durga Devi temple nearby the lake. The menu comprised 13 varieties of fruits, including apple, grapes, gua, water melon and different types of plantains.

A lot of enthusiastic tourists witnessed the rare scene of monkeys enjoying the feast served on plantain leaves.

The programme was organised under the leader ship of M. Devadas, Managing Director of Gandhigramam, a social organisation in the district, by the help of his staff and the public.

“We have been preparing and serving the Onam feast for monkeys on the Avittam day during the Onam festival for the last seven years. When I started the feast in 2004, I had got all the help from my staff, even they donated a day's salary for the purpose. Now a lot of generous people are also contributing their share in the form of money and fruits to arrange the Onam feast for the primates,” Mr. Devadas said.

Action sought

Last year, Forest personnel stopped an attempt to serve Onam feast to the monkeys of the Thamarassery Reserve Forests on the ground that feeding wild animals was illegal.

The Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti demanded legal action against the organisers of the feast. Samiti president N. Badusha, in a statement, said feeding wild animals was a crime according to the Central Wildlife Protection Act, 1988. Such feedings might upset the natural behaviour of the animals, making them lose their instinctive way for searching food, he said.