Monkey-man of Delhi

2021-05-31T06:26:49Z

68.146.199.53: /* History */

{{short description|Indian urban legend}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
[[Image:Monkey Man.jpg|right|thumb|Police artist's impression of the Monkey Man of New Delhi]]
The '''Monkey Man of New Delhi''' aka '''Kaala Bandar''' is an imaginary monster which was reported to be roaming [[Delhi]] in mid-2001. The entire incident has been described as an example of [[mass hysteria]] in [[India]].<ref>[[Massimo Polidoro|Polidoro, Massimo]]. (2002). [http://www.csicop.org/si/show/return_of_spring-heeled_jack/ "Return of Spring-Heeled Jack"]. ''[[Skeptical Inquirer]]''. Accessed on 4 May 2016.</ref><ref>Carroll, Robert Todd. (2003). ''[[The Skeptic's Dictionary|The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions]]''. John Wiley & Sons. p. 140. {{ISBN|978-0-471-27242-7}}</ref><ref>Verma, S. K; Srivastava, D. K. (2003). [http://www.indianjmedsci.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5359;year=2003;volume=57;issue=8;spage=355;epage=60;aulast=Verma ''A Study on Mass Hysteria (Monkey Men?) Victims In East Delhi''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627212301/http://indianjmedsci.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5359;year=2003;volume=57;issue=8;spage=355;epage=60;aulast=Verma|date=27 June 2015}}. Indian Journal of Medical Sciences 57: 355-360.</ref>

==History==

In May 2001, reports began to circulate in the Indian capital [[New Delhi]] around a strange [[monkey]]-like creature that was appearing at night and attacking people.<ref>[http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/may/18mon2.htm It's a man! It's a monkey! It's a...]; by Onkar Singh in New Delhi; 18 May 2001; Rediff India. [http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/may/18mon.htm 'Monkey man' keeps Delhi awake again]; 18 May 2001; Rediff India. . Also see [http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/may/15myst.htm], [http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/may/16myst.htm], [http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/may/17mon1.htm]</ref> Eyewitness accounts were often inconsistent, but tended to describe the creature as about four feet (120 cm) tall,<ref name="TOI_26Jun2010_DesiTales_MonkeymanofDelhi">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Desi-fables/articleshow/6094485.cms|title=Desi fables - The Times of India|date=26 June 2010|work=[[Indiatimes]]|accessdate=25 October 2010}}</ref> covered in thick black hair, with a metal helmet, metal claws, glowing red eyes and three buttons on its chest. Others, however, described the Monkey-man as having a more vulpine snout, and being up to eight feet tall, and muscular; it would leap from building to building.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
Many people reported being scratched, and two<ref name="TOI_26Jun2010_DesiTales_MonkeymanofDelhi"/> (by some reports, three) people even died when they leapt from the tops of buildings or fell down stairwells in a panic caused by what they thought was the attacker. At one point, exasperated police even issued artist's impression drawings in an attempt to catch the creature.

==In popular culture==

=== Film ===
* The appearance of Monkey Man in [[Old Delhi]] is the centre-point of the 2009 [[Bollywood]] [[Hindi]] film ''[[Delhi-6]]'' directed by [[Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra]]. In the film, the creature, called in [[Hindi]] as ''"Kala Bandar (Black Monkey)"'' is used as an allegory to represent the evil that resides inside every man alongside God (virtue). The monkey man has never actually been caught on tape.{{clarify|date=June 2019}}

=== Television ===
* In 2012, the Hindi TV series ''[[Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein]]'' featured a story track around the mystery of "Kala Bandar" (Black Monkey).<ref>{{cite news|title=Bhoot family to visit Mrs. Kaushik House!|agency=TNN|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Bhoot-family-to-visit-Mrs-Kaushik-House/articleshow/17280747|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=19 Nov 2012}}</ref>

=== Print media ===
* In the 2011 graphic novel ''Munkeeman'' by ''[[Tere Bin Laden]]'' director [[Abhishek Sharma (director)|Abhishek Sharma]], the creature is interpreted as a misunderstood superhero, who was the result of a science experiment gone wrong. The first edition, ''Munkeeman Vol 1'' chronicled the creatures brief appearance in Delhi, and the second edition will feature the creature in Kanpur, based on the incidents reported in February 2002. {{citationneeded|date=December 2020}}

==See also==
*[[Superstition]]
*[[Spring-Heeled Jack]]
*[[Bukit Timah Monkey Man]]
*[[Urban legend]]
*[[Hanuman]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924084816/http://www.rationalistinternational.net/archive/en/rationalist_2001/72.htm Sanal Edamaruku's first hand report on Monkey man]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100811172720/http://hinduonnet.com/2001/06/10/stories/13100612.htm To catch the phantom - Anita Joshua's article in ''The Hindu'']
*[http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/asia/news/magazine/0,9754,127298,00.html ''Time'' article about the Monkey man]{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
*[http://www.strangemag.com/monkeyman.html Strangemag story]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150627212301/http://indianjmedsci.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5359;year=2003;volume=57;issue=8;spage=355;epage=60;aulast=Verma Verma SK, Srivastava DK. A study on mass hysteria (monkey men?) victims in East Delhi. Indian J Med Sci 2003;57:355-60]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monkey-Man of Delhi}}
[[Category:New Delhi]]
[[Category:Culture of Delhi]]
[[Category:History of Delhi (1947–present)]]
[[Category:Urban legends]]
[[Category:Mass hysteria]]
[[Category:2000s in Delhi]]
[[Category:Indian legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Mythological monsters]]
[[Category:Hominid cryptids]]

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Monkey-man of Delhi