A group of youths, Team Cause, has joined hands with a temple administration in Dakshina Kannada to feed a large number of monkeys found in Karinja Hills, about 40 km from Mangaluru, during lockdown.
Karinja Hills in Bantwal taluk is on the way from Mangaluru to Dharmasthala. There are two temples, of Shiva and Parvathi, on the hills and many simians have made the surroundings of the temples their home as the administration of the temples feeds them cooked rice daily at noon. Visitors can also offer “vanaranna seva” to feed the monkeys by paying the prescribed fee. The Shiva temple which is atop the hills and which can be reached only by walk is in about 1,000 ft. above sea level.
The COVID-19 restrictions and the ockdowns, however, have hit the resources of the temple, making it difficult to feed the monkeys.
Suhan Alva, founder of Team Cause, told The Hindu that a city police officer showed the team video clipping on the pitiable condition of monkeys in the hills. Priests of the temple, he said, have been feeding about 150 monkeys but it was not sufficient. “Hence we took the task of feeding these monkeys,” Mr. Alva said.
Mr. Alva accompanied Ganesh Mulky and other members of Team Cause to the hills on June 1. “As banana is among the fruits recommended by the Forest Department for monkeys, we carried with us full bunches of banana,” said Mr. Ganesh.
“We will be in regular touch with the priests and arrange supply of banana and other fruits for monkeys. A few of our volunteers in Bantwal have offered to supply fruits,” Mr. Alva said.
For the last 43 days Team Cause has also been providing lunch, tea and dinner to 1,500 people every day in Mangaluru city. In the evening, tea prepared at Mr. Ganesh’s house is served to people. In the night, food prepared by a local catering unit is served to needy people.