There’s been a lot of fear brewing within the Sattlelight district apartment building we live in, that's fear of the monkeys. The tribe started hanging around the building premises a couple weeks back, for the most part, they were well-behaved. They sat in the back parking lot and watched children play, or sometimes stood guard at the front gates with the on-duty watchmen. For the most part, the monkeys were quiet observers, but when they felt like it, they mischieviously tested their weight out on parked vehicles. The adults are pretty big, at least three feet in height.

I have a fear of monkeys. I was chased down by two of them as a kid once; my family and I were visiting the Taj Mahal when the pair came running after me, snatching the guava I was holding from my hands. I had hoped to never have to deal with monkeys again, but no such luck this year. The quiet monkeys from a few weeks back have officially made their presence known inside the building. They show up at the front door, or wait on the balcony or barge into the kitchen. Tenants have learned to cope with the matter quite generously. One aunty told me that if you give them some water, four rotis and two potatoes, they’ll leave you alone for the rest of the day. But what happens should one run out of potatoes and roti? I'd rather not know.

Fireworks were going off again last night as it was Dev Diwali (in very simple terms, 'Diwali for the deities'). It falls on a full moon night each year, and this year wasn't any different. Lamps were lit up at households yet again and more threshold rangolis were prepared.

This is totally off-topic but I wanted to add a photo of how the girls drive around on their bikes here. When I first came to the city I thought women were covered up this way due to the growing fear of swine flu. But after speaking to some of the girls, I learned that it's actually to prevent their skin from tanning. Some even buy long cotton gloves to cover their hands and arms. I've been riding on the scooter with my cousin almost daily to hit the gym or run some errands. My aunt suggested I start covering up to avoid tanning as well, but I can't get myself to look like that nor can I be bothered to add extra layers in the heat.

The men tend to cover their faces with handkerchiefs instead of dupattas, of course. The problem with everyone covering up their faces this way though, is that it's easier for thieves to snatch purses and chains off other motorists without ever being recognised. Luckily I don't wear gold chains but I do carry a purse which I've been holding extra tightly.