Jinxy and Sasha with the kids

This article is by an author Ashrafi Cawasji who had visited The Green Pocket some years ago and chose to write about these 2 monkeys Jinxy and Sasha. They are no more, but during there time at the school, the brough immense joy to the children as they got a chance to interact with them, feed them, love them.

Jinxy
Sasha Eating

This is the amazing but true story of a unique pair of monkeys - Jinxy who has lost both his legs and his female companion Sasha who has only one arm. They have been adopted by the Batha family who live in the idyllic setting of Rustam Bagh – a haven of greenery in the heart of Bangalore city on Airport Road.
On January 13th, 2003, Anahita, a teacher at Bishop Cottons Boys School, was leaving school at the end of the day when she spotted a group of excited boys huddled around in a circle. Approaching them, she found herself staring at a baby monkey that had been electrocuted by some wires. It was badly burnt but still conscious. Hailing from a family of animal lovers, she stopped one of her students and asked him to lend her his napkin. Wrapping the monkey in the napkin, she took him home. The Veterinary hospital attended to his burns but unfortunately, his legs were very badly damaged and had to be amputated in order to save him. The family decided to keep him as he had no chance of surviving in the wild and named him Jinxy as they felt he was jinxed. He made a speedy recovery under the loving care of Anahita and her parents Behroze and Ramyar. To protect Jinxy they built a large cage in their beautiful garden, with a trapeze in it.

Sasha

In no time, Jinxy grew in size and adapted beautifully to not having legs. He learnt to drag himself on his bottom with alacrity and climb trees with such agility that one didn’t even realize that his legs were missing. If he wandered too far, Behroze yelled “security” and he would come scampering back as he was terrified of the security men. Many evenings he sat on the family member’s laps or shoulders grooming them and accepting tit-bits from them. He got along famously with the pet dogs and became an integral part of the Batha household.
One day, Behroze got a call from the People For Animals group inquiring if she would be willing to take a female monkey who had lost an arm as a companion for Jinxy. That’s how friendly Sasha made her entry into the family. Jinxy welcomed her into his world. They are both Bonnet macaques and get along like a house on fire. Typically female, Sasha loves examining people’s clothes and trinkets. Friendly by nature, she readily extends her hand to greet people. Despite her handicap she can climb trees, though she finds it difficult to swing with just one arm.

Written by Ashrafi Cawasji