Probably the singularly largest attraction of Shimla is a large, orange statue of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman. It is the second tallest statue in India, sits at the highest altitude in the world, and surpasses Christ the Redeemer in Rio. Our journey to the summit it sits, and our experience their was one I won't soon forget. The only way to access the top is to hike their, so hike we did. The climb was one of the most arduous I've ever done. It seemed as if it went straight uphill. The weather was muggy, and we had all been or were suffering from sickness obtained from the food we ate. But, when we eventually neared the top, it was worth the climb. As we left all signs of civilization behind-save the path under our feet - we entered a forest, the likes of which I'd only ever seen in movies. Immense trees ascended upwards until they were lost from view in the mist that prevailed during our entire stay. Moss blanketed the ground, and hugged the trees. As we approached the temple, the monkeys and baboons that curse Shimla became more prevalent. We had previously been warned to remove all jewelry and accessories from our bodies, and we proceeded to remove our watches. My mom, however, forgot to remove her glasses.What first impressed us upon entering the temple complex was the number of monkeys. They were everywhere present, and made me somewhat nervous. I don't mind monkeys of any sort in game parks, zoos, or anywhere other than my yard where they keep their distance, but these guys were too bold. Before any of us could say anything, one brazen baboon that had been standing six feet behind my mom, leaped in one bound up onto her shoulders. It stole her glasses in a flash, and scampered up a tree. My dad yelled and chased it as far as the tree, but -for obvious reasons- was not able to continue pursuit. We were all pretty shocked. My mom later said that she thought one of my siblings had jumped on her back. We were left to stare up at the monkey with the glasses. If monkeys are the sacred animals of Hanuman, I'd have to say they don't live up to it. Thankfully for us, one of the vendors knew what to do. He coaxed the monkey down with pieces of fruit, and, in taking these, the monkey was forced to drop the glasses. They were mostly unharmed, except that the ends of the of the things that rests on your ear was chewed up. I'm personally not sorry they did, because it adds to the story when I tell it to friends. Those glasses are probably the greatest souvenir we got during our trip. After that incidence, we continued our tour. The center piece of the temple is definitely the statue, which stands taller than Christ the Redeemer in Rio. It is painted a bright orange from tip to tail, a color that is did not appeal to me. In his hand is a huge scepter with a round ball at the end. Hanuman is the monkey god, and one of the principle Hindu deities. He is known for lifting mountains and commanding an army of monkeys. He generally appears -as in the statue- in mostly human form, save for the tail and hairy face. Our visit to the top of that peak was one I'll never forget, and I hope it has impressed you as well.
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