Amazing encounters with Hanuman langurs

yesterday we did a trip to the ""Hanuman langur" temple in Faridabad

we  being my daughter and her husband who's visiting us

so much fun to do these not so touristy things besides everything you want to squeeze in for them

Hanuman temple on Faridabad road

he's huge - like 20-25 meters high

the temple is in a ravine 

and it's a beautiful greenery

usually filled with langurs but today it took them a while to spot us and our bananas

it is a fantastic feeling to sit and feed them 

oops I wonder what happened to it's ear ?

the langur didn't think my daughter was fast enough with the peeling of the banana

she was looking at her like "will you hurry up" with a cheeky look

they sure know that humans mean food

Astrid got to feel their strength when they tried to get the bananas out of her hands !

my driver was so cute when he told them " No No ...wait" when they where jumping up to get the bananas...and they waited !

one of the temple cows

nice old man who was curious of where we came from 

I'm really happy that I got to show and share this with my daughter and her husband

The young students at Sheetla Mata Mandir, Gurgaon

I just had to pay, yet another visit with the young students at the temple

(you can find more posts in the blog about this temple)

they where in the middle of class....singing and chanting

most of them I do recognise and most of them recognises me by now

but there where some new faces who wondered what this strange lady was doing there

reading is in sanskrit

every month their hair is cut

I always bring bananas for the boys as a little thank you 

class was over and they all went for a "fruit break"

I'm intrigued by the fact that any parent would want to send away their young kids to a school like this for so many years

the religion and the impact it has upon people's life here is really difficult to comprehend

I'm not sure I will truly understand but I do make an effort to 

Bani temple in dense forest in the Aravalli hills

from Mangar village we drove quite a distance on bumpy dirt roads to get

to Bani temple....bani meaning trees...

and those are protected around this temple...

this is one way to get water ....but I do wonder why it's not on, or in, the ground ?

(the tube that is)

so many different birds but difficult to spot ...see it ?

there's a kingfisher in there somewhere

I helped you out here...I zoomed in...

it' an Indian tree pie ! I call them mocking birds because they always hide or fly away every time 

I have tried to get a picture of it

I guess this holy cow had just visited the temple because it came down from there....

up up we walked...slowly...

a temple dog....it sure was his spot..

my driver Pawan in front

then this woman and her husband arrived....rang the bell before going in...

now we had to climb down again...

at the foot I met this old lady so we stopped for  a little chit chat 

the surroundings where beautiful....

all of a sudden we met this old BIG bull and both me and my driver

kind of backed away...especially since the bull seemed to like me....

he was BIG

by the water I saw a bird I haven't seen before...it was so beautiful with it's long tail 

I took the shot from so far away....it was fun just to see some of it..

it's an asian paradise flycatcher !

lighting the oil....

animals and birds benefit from the temples..

always something to eat

yet another great day in colourful India

we showed our friends the "jungle temple"

when our best friends from Sweden visited us two months ago we just had to show them to our drivers temple, the "jungle temple" 

and since we are on our way to those friends today 

I thought it was a good day to reminisce....

on our way out we saw this cute salesman

a " monitor lizard", varan crossed the dirt road...thanks to Katrin we managed to get two pictures

our driver doesn't like them....told us that they can kill children !! their saliva is not good for you !

he was quite big.....not like the commode dragons ....he just looked like one

getting water for the cattle just outside the temple...

I think my friend and her husband really enjoyed this visit to the "jungle"

the temple cows

where all tied up and outside because the stable where under reconstruction....

the natural spring...holy water.....

it was one of those days when the temple treats everyone to free food....so they where

busy making the breads..

love the light in this part of the "jungle"

it's really a nice place to visit ....I'm sure happy that my driver showed me his temple

to where he used to walk from his village...

today is yet another holiday so now I'm off to see my friend

see ya'