A dog may be a man’s bestfriend but it is a monkey that is considered to be the most devoted to a god—if we go by the legend Ramayana whose hero, Rama enjoys the service of Hanuman. It is this very reason why the monkey is venerated in some parts in Asia. In Lopburi, Thailand, crab-eating macaques are allowed to live freely with humans and partake a veritable feast in the yearly Monkey Festival held every November. India—the biggest Hindu country with over 1 billion practitioners—celebrates Hanuman with spiritual discourses as devotees ask for the god monkey good luck.

Even the US President Barack Obama considers Hanuman lucky. During his campaign, he kept a small statue of the god—a trait he probably got when he spent time in Indonesia. Srila Prabhupada writes that Hanuman symbolizes victory "because Hanuman cooperated with Lord Rama in the battle between Rama and Ravana, and Lord Rama emerged victorious."

Central to the cultural, literary and religious life of various groups of people, monkeys are more than the lice-eating, tree-swinging rascals we consider them to be.

Lopburi’s Monkey Festival

Considered as one of the craziest events in the world, the Monkey Buffet Festival is something of a phenomenon as tons of food—fruits, cucumbers, eggs—are laid out on the grounds of Pra Prang Sam Yot temple which monkeys—around 700 of them—consume with gusto. The festival is held in the last weekend of November, attracting a number of both local and foreign tourists wanting to see the feeding frenzy.

Those who intend to visit during this time should be aware that the monkeys are not the friendliest creatures around. Unafraid of humans, the monkeys grab any food, sunglasses, and hats that tickle their fancy. In fact, upon payment of 30 baht for the entrance into the temple, tourists will be a given a stick with which to tap a monkey, gently, if it becomes raucous.

The city itself is a revelation as it dates back to the Davaravati period more than a millennium ago. Lopburi was initially inhabited by the Khmer empire who built temples and other structures. In fact, Prang Sam Yot was originally a Hindu temple. When it eventually ceded to the Thai kingdoms, Lopburi became the second capital of the Ayutthaya kingdom where King Narai spent eight months of a year in his summer palace.

Lopburi is located north of Bangkok, about three-hour train ride away from the capital via Ayutthaya. There are regular bus rides going to Lopburi from Bangkok and cost about 117 baht one-way.

Hong Kong’s Monkey God Festival

Even if Hong Kong is far-away from the tradition of Ramayana and Hinduism, it still celebrates the monkey in the Monkey God Festival held between October and September in Kowloon, particularly in the Sau Mau Ping area. This tradition is based on classic Chinese novel Journey to the West where Sun Wukong, better known as the Monkey God, figures prominently in the story.

The Monkey God is actually similar to Hanuman because in the story, he also accompanies the hero Tang Xuan Zang as he journeys westward to take possession of the teachings of Buddha. Mischievous and playful, Sun Wokong was banished from heaven but after proving his heart and devotion to his master, he is redeemed, gaining Buddhist immortality.

Referred as one of Hong Kong’s “most mesmerizing and peculiar celebrations,” the Monkey God Festival is held in Kowloon’s Sau Mau Ping Temple. People celebrate his birthday by burning incense and paper offerings and asking for protection.

India’s Hanuman Jayanti

No other country venerates the monkey god Hanuman more than India. Hanuman Javanti is considered as an important celebration in the Hindu calendar, taking place sometime in April to commemorate the birth of the monkey god. Hanuman is not just a token symbol in the Hindu mythology but is considered a god in itself “with magical powers and the ability to conquer evil spirits.”

Hanuman Javanti is a solemn event as devotees visit temples to apply holy ash to their foreheads. Believed to be born at sunrise, Hanuman is remembered with spiritual discourses recited at dawn. After the discourse, food (Prasad) is offered to the devotees. Most of the Hindu temples participate in the Jayanti during this day.

The towns of Tamil Nadu and Kerala celebrate Hanuman Jayanthi on a different date, sometime between December 16 and January 14. These towns believe that Hanuman was born on the new moon of the Margazhi, the holy month of spiritual activities.

The Lopburi’s Monkey Festival, Hong Kong’s Monkey God Festival and India’s Hanuman Javanti collectively affirm our connection to nature and how one animal can inspire a tradition of celebration and spirituality.