This farmer’s family of Vittla feeds monkeys daily to check their menace

Mangalore Today News Network

Vittla, Jan 9,2017 : Monkey menace is rampant in some agricultural fields and plantations, giving tough times for the farmers. But the family of progressive farmer Narayana Bhat of Billampadavu has found a novel way to tackle the monkey menace -offer them rice daily.

Yes, this is the trick opted by Narayan Bhat family which has now succeeded in guarding its crops from monkey menace. Narayan Bhat’s wife ensures that a bowl full of rice is placed for the monkeys which arrive daily. The monkeys which  feed on the rice, later  leave the place without causing any harm to the crops and fruits.

It all began one day about a month ago when   Narayan Bhat’s wife  Geethalakshmi was alone at home. A   group of monkeys were spotted in the front yard of the house fighting with each other. Not knowing what to do, Geethalakshmi  showed a banana to a monkey  which  thought it safe to come near her. It took the banana from her and ran away.

This followed for a couple of days  after which Geethalakshmi struck upon the idea of placing a bowl full of rice. Since then three to five monkeys have made it a practice  to come there,  feed on the rice and leave the place.

The family recalls that there have been times when the monkeys used to get furious when the rice bowl was not found and had made their way straight into the house. Once they even tried to lay hands on the Naivedya vessel in the kitchen.

Farmer Narayan Bhat feels this was the best way to keep the stomachs of the monkeys full while also protecting the crops, as the poor animals  which  go without food  due to destruction of forest lands, invariably rely on the crops otherwise.