More than two thousand people stand expectant and wilting in the morning sun - all eyes on a small group of monkeys atop an ancient Khmer-style temple. Below is a large round table laden with every imaginable fruit and vegetable, and six smaller tables dressed with satin tablecloths and topped with Thai desserts and jellies and cans of soft drink. The monkeys aren’t used to so many people and they aren’t coming down. Uniformed marshals try to entice them by throwing fruit and opening cans. Finally, one monkey takes a chance and climbs down. He stands uncertainly at the edge of the table and reaches out (eyes on the crowd) for a head of cabbage. Cameras go off like horses out of the rail, and the crowd gives a soft cheer. The annual Lopburi monkey buffet has begun.
There’s plenty to go round, so apart from a squabble here and there, the monkeys are almost demure as they drain cans of Coke and Pepsi (no apparent preference shown) and demolish tea-cakes, ignoring the crowd.

A local businessman started the annual feast 16 years ago in gratitude to the monkeys for making his business prosper. But here in Lopburi they have always had a special affinity with monkeys. They are honoured as the descendants of the monkey-god Hanuman, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The town is said to have been carved out of the dust by a sweep of Hanuman’s tail, and also to have been a reward from Vishnu for the monkey’s services in battle.

The November festival shows the deep influence of Hinduism in this dusty Buddhist town. Locals believe that Vishna and Hanuman reside at Wat Kung Ta Lao, a ninth century temple inhabited by monkeys. Stone monkeys adorn the entrance to the ancient shrine and the monkeys can roam freely around the temple grounds, where talismans of Hanuman are on sale for as much as $SU500. They are considered to bring great luck and power. Hanuman is also featured encircling the ancient sacred penis fertility symbol, which can be found in many areas of Thailand.

For this festival, bands of schoolboys paint their bodies with war paint (in honour of Hanuman the warrior) and march through the town in monkey masks. There are giant floats and marionettes, drums, brass bands and traditional dancing and, somewhat incongruously a huge evening square dance in the middle of the town.

The town itself is a fairly typical rural Thai town, although built around the ruins of the ancient palace of King Narai of Ayuttaya. It is a pleasant train journey from Bangkok (approx 2 hours), or a very uncomfortable bus journey. From October to January the larger district is ablaze with fields of sunflowers and a day trip can include a tour of the picturesque local waterfalls. Except for the night before the monkey feast, when the whole town goes out dancing, evenings are quiet in this beautiful old town - unless of course you want to stop in at the Lopburi's witches Convention, held every July, when the hindu gods once again come to life through fiercely competitive (and quite camp!) spirit mediums.

nichola@nicholaryan.com