Monkey Business

Our collective imagination created the Monkey God
 and therefore it comes as no surprise that we, the Indian people are capable of fearing The Monkey Man!

Mass hysteria ensued in New Delhi in 2001 when a "half-beast half-man" was said to be unleashing its wrath indiscriminately on innocent people. Reportedly, the entire eastern district police force of about 3,000 personnel was put on patrol to hunt down the creature. The Times of India said an industrial worker died on Sunday night in nearby Noida town when he jumped off a first-floor building after being awoken by cries the "monkey man" was attacking.



Like almost every other supernatural story in India, this was a false alarm.

Yet, a month later, CNN reported that:
" At least three people panicked and fell to their deaths from buildings during the two-week saga because they were convinced the attacker -- described varyingly as a monkey-like creature with metallic claws and a cat with tawny, glowing eyes -- was pursuing them.
...
At the height of the panic, vigilante groups armed with sticks patrolled the streets at night on the lookout for the creature and police announced a 50,000 rupee ($1,067) reward for information leading to its capture."


And this in a country where the nominal GDP per capita is about $950.

Imagine roaming the mean streets of Delhi looking for a Monkey Man! "What did you do today?" "I looked for a half-beast, half-man. Didn't find him. Will try again tomorrow."


Monkey Men, show up in other places as well. Apparently, the Indian Railways believe that by dressing up a man like a monkey and making him walk on all fours, real monkeys will be stymied in the efforts to steal food from train passengers! 

If you don't believe us, watch the video:

Indians, Asterix and the Goths online....

if you believe Alexa, the #18 most popular site in India today is a website called Travian.in. It ranks slightly ahead of India's #1 job site naukri.com, and India's #1 travel site Indian Railways.

So what is Travian.in?

Travian is a browser game featuring a world with thousands of other real players. One begins the game acting as a chief of a tiny village. No downloads necessary, the game is directly playable. You can play with thousands of real players in a persistent ancient world. You can build up villages, wage wars or trade with your neighbors.

Take a look at the characters in the game: You can be a Roman, a Gaul, or a Teuton (Goth)




Hmmm...

Which probably means the Gaulish chief's name could be Vitalstatistix, the Teuton generals could be Metric, Rhetoric, Electric and of course the Roman villages names could be Aquarium, Tototum, Laudanum and Compendium. If this mystifies you, click here.

Hundreds of thousands of Indians are playing this game online, likely without reference to Monsieurs Goscinny and Uderzo. Charles de Gaulle once grumbled that his only international rival was TinTin; Unknown to all the same may be true in India online of the Indomitable Gauls.....

Vive le Gaul! Vive le Asterix! .. or perhaps, Jai ho, Gaul! Jai ho Asterix!?